Windies close rain-affected first day of Tarouba Test in ‘good’ stead on 194 for 3

Reifer: “You don't want to bat last on a pitch like that.”

West Indies 194 for 3 (Hodge 83*, Hope 39*; Mohammad Abbas 2-44) vs. Pakistan 

A Kavem Hodge half-century dictated the West Indies’ batting on Saturday’s Day 1 of the first Test against Pakistan at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago. A rain interruption, which limited the first session to 14.1 overs, meant only 67 overs were possible on the day.

Hodge batted through to finish unbeaten on 83* after walking to the crease in the ninth over with the score on 13 as opener Brandon King played-on Mohammad Abbas for 12 runs. 

Hodge shared in an unbroken 88-run fourth-wicket stand with Shai Hope (39*), taking Windies from 106 for three to 194 without further loss at close of play.

Given the nature of the wicket, batting coach Floyd Reifer says Windies, who elected to bat, are satisfied with their efforts. 

“It's been a good day for us,” Reifer began. “At the start of play, we always knew that the pitch would have been a bit slow, a bit difficult to score. But once you get past that first 15, 20 overs of the day's play, it can become a bit easier. So it's important for us to continue tomorrow and build those partnerships, take it session by session, break down each session into hourly time, and try to build big partnerships tomorrow.”

Hodge’s half-century is his second fifty-plus score in 11 innings after his 123* against New Zealand at the Bay Oval last December. The Dominican put on 51 runs for the second wicket with Tagenarine Chanderpaul after the early loss of King.

Returning to the XI for the first time since the New Zealand series opener in Christchurch, Chanderpaul was his usual unhurried self, churning out 21 from 77 balls before he nicked off Aamer Jamal post-lunch. 

According to Reifer, Chanderpaul’s modus operandi was crucial for Windies on the day.

“His innings is always important because he takes time,” Reifer stated. “The other guys can bat around him and build partnerships. Like I said, early in the game, it wasn't a pitch for stroke play [where you] can really hit through the line of the ball and play those good hard wicket shots. So, I thought his innings was critical to us in terms of managing those first 20 overs, getting past the first session. If you saw the way he batted, it started to flow a bit better after he got in.”

The other wicket to fall in the session was that of Amir Jangoo, who was trapped LBW by Abbas for 21, putting an end to a 42-run third-wicket stand with Hodge. 

“The history in Trinidad—we know the ball will probably spin around day three, four, and five,” Reifer continued. “So batting first and trying to get a big total on the board will always put pressure on the opposition because you don't want to bat last on a pitch like that.”