Battle of attrition

Mon, Apr 24, '17

Pakistan chip away at WI as Younis Khan becomes first Pakistani to score 10,000 Test runs.

Action on Saturday was virtually obliterated by rain, but yesterday was a battle of attrition at Sabina Park as Pakistan stubbornly chipped away at West Indies’ first-innings 286.

Heading into today’s fourth day, the visitors, lifted by patient half centuries from Babar Azam and veteran Younis Khan, held the advantage. They closed on 201-4, only 85 runs behind West Indies in the first Test.Play is scheduled to resume today at 9:30 am — 30 minutes earlier than usual — to make up for some of the time lost due to rain and bad light. Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan captain, and Asad Shafiq, are both not out on five.

Scores: West Indies 286 (95 overs); Pakistan 201-4 (78.2 overs)Yesterday, Babar top-scored with 72, while 39-year-old Younis, who reached a landmark 10,000 runs in Tests during yesterday’s innings, made 58 to lift Pakistan from 54-2.But fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, 28, who persevered on an even-paced pitch, dismissed both to fuel the home team’s fightback late in the day.Earlier, play began 10:30 am — an hour later than scheduled — because overnight rain had left wet spots on the outfield.West Indies, resuming on 278-9, added eight runs before Pakistan left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir knocked back the middle stump of last-man Gabriel (five) to finish with career best figures of 6-44 off 26 overs. As a mark of Amir’s unerring accuracy, four of his victims came by his disturbing timber.