Opener Azhar Ali smashed a maiden triple hundred to put Pakistan firmly in control against the West Indies in the first day-night Test in Dubai on Friday.
Ali's epic unbeaten 302 guided Pakistan to 579-3 declared before the West Indies closed the second day on 69-1, still needing another 311 to avoid the follow-on with opener Kraigg Brathwaite (32) and Darren Bravo, on 14 not out, fighting at the crease.
They lost Leon Johnson leg-before in leg-spinner Yasir Shah's second over for 15 but negotiated the pace-cum-spin attack well for 22 overs.
It was Ali who stole the limelight in this second ever day-night Test with a career-best score that was spread over 645 minutes of dominating batting, albeit on a flat Dubai stadium pitch.
Batsman Vishaul Singh's career-best 161, and offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall's 6 for 91 led West Indies A's 333-run rout of Sri Lanka A in the second four-day game at the Pallekele International Stadium. West Indies A levelled the three-match series with the win.
West Indies A were put in to bat by Sri Lanka A captain Dimuth Karunaratne, and discarded Test opener Rajendra Chandrika, who had not scored in double figures in his last four innings, roared back into form with 84. Chandrika overcame a niggle, which forced him to retire hurt on 51, on the first day and returned on the second day to continue his innings.
In Chandrika's absence, Vishaul and Jahmar Hamilton, who missed his fourth first-class century when he was run out on 99, powered them to 331 for 5 at the end of the opening day.
Chandrika joined Vishaul, who resumed on 81, on the second morning, and added 54 more for the sixth wicket. Vishaul batted on after the partnership ended, and was the ninth man dismissed, with West Indies A having amassed 509. Offspinner Charith Asalanka took 4 for 104 for Sri Lanka A.
A nail-biting victory over the Windward Islands Volcanoes on Wednesday, saw the Antigua & Barbuda Master Blasters into the finals of the Antigua & Barbuda Cricket Association/Sports Tourism Tri20 Cricket Tournament set for Saturday night at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. The home team bowled out the Windward Islands with three balls to spare and 17 runs to get as the visitors tried desperately to earn their first victory of the tournament and stay in the hunt for a spot in Saturday’s final.
Pakistan dominated the first day of their 400th Test, piling on 279 for 1, after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and opted to bat. Openers Azhar Ali and Sami Aslam made the most of the batting-friendly conditions in Dubai, sharing a double-century stand, before Asad Shafiq came in at No. 3 and lent his weight to a batting effort that deflated West Indies.
In theory, both teams were in uncharted territory, playing their first day-night Test - and the second overall - at a time when the concept is still new, with the behaviour of the pink ball under scrutiny. In practice, the ball did not do much in the afternoon heat and, while there was a bit more for the West Indies bowlers under lights, they did not do enough to threaten the batsmen for sustained periods.
The pink ball offered very little swing to the new-ball bowlers and very little reverse-swing as it got older. On both counts, West Indies did not help their own cause. At the start of the day, both Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder were too short to give the new ball a chance to swing. Miguel Cummins bowled fuller, but not consistently enough. As the ball grew older, West Indies seemed uninterested in keeping one side shiny to extract reverse-swing.
Shamarh Brooks’ side did all the hard yards and put themselves in an unassailable position at stumps on day three of their 2nd ‘unofficial’ Test match against Sri Lanka ‘A’ at Pallekelle.
They disposed of Karunaratne first thing in the morning but were then held up by Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne who engaged in a 91-run stand for the sixth wicket. Dickwella top-scored with 88 (4 x 9) and Gunaratne made 46 (6 x 1, 4 x 3). Off-spinner Cornwall kept an end shut tight to bag 6-91 in 30 overs. He had an eight for in the first game.
