Pakistan rebounded from being bowled out for 281 to reduce West Indies to 38 for 3, but had to work much harder for their subsequent breakthroughs as Kraigg Brathwaite led his side back into contention with a gritty, unbeaten 95. Supported first by Roston Chase and then by Shane Dowrich, Brathwaite helped West Indies close on 244 for 6 after two hard-fought sessions.
Confronted with a probing bowling effort, a slow outfield and horrid start from his top-order team-mates, Brathwaite maintained his composure and patience throughout his 206-ball vigil. Unlike the more free-flowing batsmen at the other end, he seldom tried to force the pace, content to play the ball late whenever he could. Nine of his ten fours came behind the wicket, the sole exception being a loft over mid-on off Zulfiqar Babar.
After the three early wickets, Jermaine Blackwood briefly looked promising after lunch. However, his attacking instincts, and his seeming refusal to rein them in, soon led to his downfall. Having driven Mohammad Amir on the up for a boundary through cover, Blackwood tried to repeat the shot a few balls later. Only, this time, the delivery was slightly shorter and not quite there for the drive; Blackwood edged it to gully and departed for a run-a-ball 23.
Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and fast bowler Shannon Gabriel shared seven wickets between them to stop Pakistan from posting a big total on the opening day of the third and final Test in Sharjah on Sunday.
Pakistan were cruising along nicely at 230-4 when West Indies grabbed four quick wickets to put Pakistan on the back foot at 255-8 by close of play at the Sharjah stadium.
At close, tail-enders Mohammad Amir was batting on six and Yasir Shah on one as West Indies will look to bowl out Pakistan early on day two.
Pakistan, who won the toss on a batting-friendly pitch, saw opener Sami Aslam (72), Misbah-ul-Haq (53), Younis Khan (51) and Sarfraz Ahmed (51) all reach half centuries.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, CMC – Captain Jason Mohammed and Andre McCarthy stroked hundreds as West Indies A completed an impressive 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka A in their unofficial One-Day International series here Sunday.
Playing at the Khetterama Stadium, the Caribbean side extended their impressive batting form by rattling up 305 for five off their allotted 47 overs, with Mohammed hitting an unbeaten 105 off 108 deliveries and McCarthy getting 102 off a mere 75 balls.
Seamers Ronsford Beaton (2-38) and Kesrick Williams (2-74) then picked up two wickets apiece as Sri Lanka A were limited to 248 for seven off their allotted 38 overs, to go down by eight wickets under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Set a revised target of 257, Danushka Gunathilaka top-scored with 58 while Milinda Siriwardana (35), Pathirana (34) and Dasun Shanaka (33 not out) all got starts, but Sri Lanka A failed to get that big innings required.
Depending on whom you ask, the description of the state of West Indies cricket can provide an answer which will lead one to believe the best and the worst, but certainly not complimentary to the present image of the game which had reached the highest quality above every cricketing country in the world many moons ago.
However, few of the armchair critics cared to explain the reasons for our demise. Was it a sharp deterioration from the level of the legendary presentations of players like Sir George Headley, Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Viv Richards, Rohan Kanhai, through to the absolutely brilliant batting genius Brian Charles Lara.
The ranking scale has dropped from ten to a zero and before anyone tries to find excuses, stand in the line of thousands who can provide some strange ones. To be angry, emotional, disappointed or furious because of a drop in standard or in any mood, will be justified.
Target the poor work of administrators, the attitude of the players or in many cases comments which will incite insularity, partisanship, social status, the negative or positive effect of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) during the downward spiral of the game, will mirror total confusion and no progress.
Stalwarts David Bernard, Carlton Baugh and Danza Hyatt have been left out of the Nikita Miller-captained Jamaica Scorpions squad named for the opening encounter versus champions Guyana Jaguars in the 2016-17 Professional Cricket League four-day tournament.
The 35-year-old all-rounder Bernard, who has played 127 first-class games since his debut in 2000, has represented the West Indies in three Tests. He has been struggling with fitness and form in recent times, but participated at the national trials.
The wicketkeeper/batsman Baugh, 34, made his first-class debut in 2000, but has been in and out of the Jamaica squad in recent seasons. Baugh is a veteran of 21 Test matches.
