Windies under pressure

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph believes that despite being in dire straits, the West Indies still have what it takes to pull off a positive result against Pakistan in the first Brighto Paints-Q Mobile Test at Sabina Park.

Heading into today's final day, the West Indies are 93 for four in their second innings and still require another 28 runs to make Pakistan bat again.

This is after the Pakistanis, on the back of an undefeated 99 from captain Misbah-ul-Haq, had earlier posted 407 in their first innings in response to the West Indies modest first innings effort of 286.

Not out at the crease when stumps were drawn are debutant batsman Vishaul Singh and nightwatchman, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who are both not out on zero.

The specialist batsmen to have been dismissed are openers Kieron Powell and Kraigg Brathwaite, debutant Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope with Roston Chase the only other left in the pavilion.

They were all victims of leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who has so far claimed four for 33 off nine overs.

 

STAY FOCUSED

 

"There is a lot left to go in the game. We just have to stay focused and do what we have to do,'' expressed an optimistic Joseph.

"We are in a tight spot at the moment, but I think every batsmen remaining still has a role to play as it's a team game, and we will just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow.''

The West Indies, who started 121 in arears, were never allowed to settle in their bid to share control of the encounter, and as early as the 11th over, saw one of their main batsmen, Brathwaite, revert to the pavilion.

He was bowled by a straight delivery from Shah, which cannoned into his middle stump with the scoreboard on 22 runs.

This brought together Powell and Hetmyer, and in an entertaining partnership, which yielded 50 runs. They appeared steadfast in reducing the deficit runs all by themselves with a flurry of straight drives and cuts.

However with the total on 72, Hetmyer was bowled by Shah after playing on for 20, and with it brought another two quick wickets.

The first was that of Hope, who after facing 14 deliveries, was trapped leg before wicket with another straight delivery from Shah for six to take the score to 84 for three.

This was followed by arguably the biggest wicket to fall in the innings when the free-flowing and by then well-set Powell was caught for 49 after driving at a wide delivery to make the total 84 for nine.

Earlier, Pakistan, who had resumed the day on 201 for four, in addition to Misbah, who was put down in the field twice, were parried by 54 wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed and 22 from Asad Shafiq.

Joseph with three for 71 and Shannon Gabriel three for 92 were the leading West Indies bowlers.

''I thought I bowled well by sticking to the good areas and being as patient as possible and reaped the rewards,'' highlighted Joseph.

Play is scheduled to resume at 9:30am.

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 286

PAKISTAN 1st Innings

(overnight 201 for five)

Azhar Ali c wkp Dowrich b Joseph 15

Ahmed Shehzad lbw b Holder 31

Babar Azam b Gabriel 72

Younis Khan c Brathwaite b Gabriel 58

*Misbah-ul-Haq not out 99

Asad Shafiq c wkp Dowrich b Gabriel 22

+Sarfraz Ahmed b Bishoo 54

Mohammed Amir c wkp Dowrich b Joseph 11

Wahab Riaz b Joseph 9

Yasir Shah run out 8

Mohammed Abbas lbw b Chase 1

Extras (b4, lb10, w1, nb12) 27

TOTAL (all out; 138.4 overs) 407

Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Azhar Ali), 2-54 (Ahmed Shehzad), 3-185 (Younis Khan), 4-186 (Babar Azam), 5-236 (Asad Shafiq), 6-324 (Sarfraz Ahmed), 7-341 (Mohammad Amir), 8-355 (Wahab Riaz), 9-373 (Yasir Shah), 10-407 (Mohammad Abbas)

Bowling: Gabriel 29-6-92-3 (nb6), Joseph 31-8-71-3 (nb2), Holder 30-6-65-1 (nb4), Bishoo 33-2-106-1 (w1), Chase 8.4-1-37-1, Brathwaite 7-1-22-0.

WEST INDIES 2nd Innings

K Brathwaite b Yasir Shah 14

K Powell c Younis Khan b Yasir Shah 49

S Hetmyer b Yasir Shah 20

S Hope lbw b Yasir Shah 6

D Bishoo not out 0

V Singh not out 0

Extras (lb4) 4

TOTAL (4 wkts, 28 overs) 93

Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Brathwaite), 2-72 (Hetmyer), 3-84 (Hope), 4-89 (Powell)

Bowling: Mohammad Amir 9-2-11-0, Mohammad Abbas 6-0-21-0, Yasir Shah 9-0-33-4, Wahab Riaz 4-0-24-0.

Position: West Indies trail by 28 runs with six second innings wickets intact.

Toss: Pakistan.

Umpires: R Illingworth, R Kettleborough; TV - B Oxenford.