… West Indies 34-2 at the close, a lead of 100 runs
DEVENDRA Bishoo had a sensational start to his bowling career in Test cricket when he rocked Pakistan’s middle order as he picked up 4-68 for the West Indies who enjoyed a healthy second day of the first Test match at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, yesterday. Having dismissed the West Indies for 226 within the first half hour of the day, thanks to Saeed Ajmal’s 5-69, Pakistan struggled against the spin of Bishoo along with the pace of Ravi Rampaul (3-27) and skipper Darren Sammy (2-16) and were bowled out for 160, but returned to leave the West Indies on 34-2 in their second innings – a lead of 100 runs.
Scores in the match: West Indies 226 and 34-2, Pakistan 160.
Batting a second time with a lead of 66 runs, the home team lost Devon Smith (1) in the second over of the innings, lbw to his nemesis Mohammed Hafeez for the sixth successive time in the series, including both the Test match and one-day internationals, with five of the dismissals coming by the lbw route.
Darren Bravo (8) joined his countryman Lendl Simmons and fought fire with fire, when he punched Umar Gul through backward point for four, bringing back memories of world record holder Brian Charles Lara to those gathered at the venue.
Abdur Rehman replaced Gul at the Media Centre End and his first delivery was struck over mid on for four by Simmons, before Bravo was lbw to Ajmal’s third delivery, leaving Simmons and night watchman Kemar Roach to survive the spin of Ajmal and Rehman, which they did comfortably.
Earlier in the Pakistan innings, Hafeez (4) was bowled by Rampaul in the second over, before Azhar Ali, who took the catch offered by Roach at forward short leg to close off the Windies’ innings and Taufiq Umar, carried their team to 45 for 1 at lunch, with Ali on 27 and Umar 13.
Prior to the lunch break, Hafeez drove Roach through mid off for four before he was dismissed, while Ali got a thick outside edge off Roach for four, followed by back-to-back boundaries through the covers in Roach’s following over.
After lunch, Pakistan suffered a mini collapse, losing the wickets of Umar and Ali who were lbw to Sammy for 19 and 34 respectively, after adding 57 for the second wicket.
The 25-year-old Bishoo got his maiden Test scalp when he removed the Pakistan skipper and most experienced batsman Misbah–ul-Haq (2), followed by Asad Shafiq who was given out lbw via a UDRS for 4.
At that stage, Pakistan were 62 for 5 and when Bishoo trapped Mohammad Salman lbw for 4 two overs later, they slipped further to 80 for 6 in the 36th over, losing five wickets for 35 runs within the first 75 minutes of play after lunch.
A four from Rehman who replaced Salman, realised Pakistan’s 100 in the 46th over and at the tea break, Pakistan were 113 for 6 from 47 overs with Umar Akmal and Rehman being the not-out batsmen on 27 and 13 respectively.
After tea, Rehman cut Rampaul’s fifth delivery for four through point as he staged ‘Operation Recovery’ with Akmal for his team, who at one stage looked as though they would not reach the 100-run mark, as Bishoo and Sammy went on a rampage with their middle order.
Akmal and Rehman realised their 50-run partnership from 148 balls and 71 minutes batting together, before the former was caught at the wicket by Carlton Baugh when he got a top edge from a delivery by Bishoo for 33 (4×4, 75 balls).
Umar Gul (5) was next to go, caught by Baugh when he looked to pull a short delivery from Rampaul who removed Saeed Ajmal (1) in the following over. It was all over for Pakistan when Wahab Riaz (5) offered Baugh his third catch of the innings off Roach.
Rehman was left unbeaten on 40 from 121 minutes of batting. He faced 104 balls and hit the boundary ropes four times in the process, as Rampaul (3-27) and Sammy (2-16) offered valuable support to Bishoo.

WESTt INDIES 1st innings
D. Smith b Hafeez    13
L. Simmons lbw Ajmal    49
D. Bravo lbw Riaz    25
R. Sarwan c Salman b Rehman    23
S. Chanderpaul b Ajmal    27
B. Nash lbw Ajmal    5
C. Baugh lbw Ajmal    4
D. Sammy c Akmal b Rehman    12
K. Roach c Ali b Ajmal    24
R. Rampaul lbw    14
D. Bishoo not out    15
Extras: (lb-8, w-1, nb-2, b-4)    15
Total: (all out, off 98 overs)    226
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-71, 3-127, 4-136, 5-142, 6-159, 7-162, 8-175, 9-198.
Bowling: Gul 13-0-40-0, Hafeez 13-5-22-2, Rehman 29-11-51-2, Ajmal 33-14-69-5, Riaz 10-1-32-1 (nb-2, w-1).
PAKISTAN 1st innings
M. Hafeez b Rampaul    4
T. Umar lbw Sammy    19
A. Ali b Sammy    34
M. Ul-Haq lbw Bishoo    2
U. Akmal c Baugh b Bishoo    33
A. Shafiq lbw Bishoo    2
M. Salman lbw Bishoo    4
A. Rehman not out    40
U. Gul c Baugh b Rampaul    5
S. Ajmal lbw Rampaul    1
W. Riaz c Baugh b Roach    5
Extras: (b-6, lb-3, nb-2)    11
Total: (all out, off 64.3 overs)    160
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-57, 3-60, 4-62, 5-62, 6-80, 7-130, 8-135, 9-141.
Bowling: Roach 10.4-2-40-1 (nb-2), Rampaul 17-5-27-3, Sammy 12-6-16-2, Bishoo 25-6-68-4.
WEST INDIES 2nd innings
D. Smith lbw Hafeez    1
L. Simmons not out    18
D. Bravo lbw Ajmal    8
K. Roach not out    3
Extras: (b-4)    4
Total: (for 2 wickets, off 10.5 overs)    34
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-23.
Bowling: Gul 3-0-10-0, Hafeez 3-1-5-1, Rehman 2-0-9-0, Ajmal 2-2-0-1, Riaz.5-0-3-0.