After a week of smiles for a sensational Test victory in Guyana, the sombre and sorrowful face of West Indies cricket is now being seen all over Warner Park.
A flimsy second innings batting display on a blameless fourth-day pitch has left Darren Sammy’s side in a familiar position of fallibility. And it would take a miracle to prevent Pakistan from completing a victory in this second Digicel cricket Test on today’s final day to square the two-match series 1-1.
Set an unlikely 427 for Test cricket’s biggest run-chase, the Windies were wobbling on 130 for five at the close, losing young batting hope Darren Bravo just before stumps for a composed three-hour 50.
It contained two fours and two sixes off 144 balls but was ended in an all too familiar manner, leg before wicket, moving inside his stumps for a leg glance. His referral was negated as television replays showed the ball from left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz was brushing his leg stump and umpire Asoka de Silva maintained his original decision.
But it could have been worse as vice-captain Brendan Nash, who is not out 30, with wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh on seven, was misstumped by shoddy wicketkeeper Mohammed Salman off Mohammed Hafeez.
It means the West Indies, who have been undermined by the left-arm spin of Abdur Rehman with three for 26 in 14 overs, still need to score another 297 runs while Pakistan only have the last five West Indian wickets to take.
Pakistan, who were propelled to their pole position by opener Taufeeq Umar’s fifth Test century and captain Misbah-ul-Haq’s third, declared their second innings on 377 for six, 40 minutes after lunch. The pair shared a fourth-wicket stand of 129 as Taufeeq hit 13 fours in his knock of 135 which spanned 421 minutes and 314 balls.
Misbah-ul-Haq was more enterprising as he struck ten fours and two sixes in making 102 not out off 141 balls in 231 minutes after starting the day on 13.
The West Indies started their second innings disastrously, losing teenaged debutant opener Kraigg Brathwaite in the third over. He was comprehensively bowled on the back foot by an inswinger from pacer Tanvir Ahmed for a “duck”.
Lendl Simmon smashed Rehman for huge straight sixes and Bravo shared a half-century partnership, but the former failed to benefit from a misstumping by Salman, falling for 24.
Mohammed Hafeez, who was the unlucky bowler, almost made a slip himself but was alert enough to grab a catch on the second attempt in the slips when Simmons tried to cut a ball from Rehman which bounced more than he anticipated.
Ramnaresh Sarwan also fell for a “duck” when umpire Billy Bowden was forced to change his original decision of not out after Rehman struck the batsman just above his pads on the back foot. Pakistan successfully asked for a review and television umpire Tony Hill communicated to Bowden that the replays showed the ball would hit the top of the stumps. It ended a poor series for the Guyanese right-hander, whose returns have been 23, 11, 20 and 0.
There was more disaster as first innings topscorer Marlon Samuels was out for six, edging Rehman into Salman’s gloves.
Earlier, Pakistan scored freely when they resumed from 202 for three overnight, capitalizing on the West Indies’ laissez-faire approach and defensive tactics.
Additionally, the West Indies never took the second new ball until the 110th over and only because the ball had to be changed while their best bowler of the previous day Kemar Roach was the fourth bowler used. By the time, captain Sammy, who has made several strange decisions throughout the match brought on Roach, Pakistan were already making swift progress.
Misbah took on the scoring responsibilities as Taufeeq bided his time in reaching his fifth Test century and first since 2003 with a single into the leg side.
When Tafeeq was finally run out for 135 at the non-striker’s end by a direct throw by Sammy as he casually jogged a single, the Pakistan lead was already 345. It was extended to 369 with a lunch time score of 320-4 as 118 runs came in the morning session, 63 in the last ten overs with Misbah sweeping, pulling and cutting also leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo for boundaries.
