(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Opener Azhar Ali of Pakistan celebrates after scoring 100 against the West Indies, during the second days of play of the 3rd and final test match at the Windsor Park Stadium in Roseau, Dominica on May 11, 2017. The series is level with one match all. AFP
Dominica: Azhar Ali’s 14th Test century anchored Pakistan to a first innings total of 376 as the tourists batted with exaggerated care on the second day of the third and final Test against the West Indies on Thursday.
Left to negotiate 11 overs to the close of play at Windsor Park in Dominica, the West Indies reached 14 without loss in reply.
Pakistan’s innings occupied all of 146.3 overs at a scoring rate of just over two-and-a-half runs per over, a puzzlingly pedestrian rate of progress on a benign pitch, especially as victory would give Pakistan their first-ever Test series win in the Caribbean in eight attempts.
After crawling along in the morning session, when only 58 runs came off 28 overs in two-and-a-half hours of play for the loss of Younis Khan’s wicket, the tourists attempted to accelerate with captain Misbah-ul-Haq releasing the shackles of virtual strokelessness in getting to 59.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed was by far the most enterprising of all in the Pakistan batting line-up though, being ninth out for 51 off 73 balls.
“We wanted to get over 400 but losing wickets in the afternoon caused us to lose a bit of momentum,” Ahmed explained after the day’s play. “I just went out there with a positive intent, looking to put the bowlers off and keep the score moving along.”
Off-spinner Roston Chase was the prime beneficiary of the visitors’ belated attempt at acceleration, finishing with four for 103 while captain Jason Holder claimed three for 71, including two wickets off consecutive deliveries after tea that ended any reasonable prospect for Pakistan getting to a total in excess of 400. AFP
