Pakistan rush to huge total

Pakistan 493 West Indies 54

As Sri Lanka repeatedly did two months ago, Pakistan exposed the frailty of the West Indies' bowling and fielding to mount a formidable first-innings total of 493 on the second day of the first of two Tests here yesterday.

Yousuf Youhana and Rashid Latif both gathered hundreds and extended their sixth-wicket partnership from 52 at the start, when the Pakistan innings was at the crossroads at 230 for 5, to 204.

By the time Youhana's six-hour vigil for 146, his ninth Test hundred and his third in successive Tests against the West Indies, was ended by Cameron Cuffy's off-cutter that he diverted back into his stumps after lunch, the die had been cast.

The wicketkeeper Rashid, who has recently reclaimed his place from Moin Khan after an absence of three years, had already passed his maiden Test hundred and was in adventurous mood. Dropped at slip in a testing opening spell by Merv Dillon when he had added only a single to his overnight 27 and in the deep off Carl Hooper's off-spin when on 133, he carried on to 150 while the bowlers, Saqlain Mushtaq, the captain Waqar Younis and Shoaib Ahktar, enjoyed themselves at the expense of their weary and dispirited opponents.

The last 28 overs yielded 111 runs with four sixes, missed chances and run-outs. The action was more associated with the one-day game, with which the venue is familiar, than that of a Test match. This is Sharjah's debut as a Test venue, the host for a series shifted from Pakistan because of the war, and rumours of war, in Afghanistan and the Kashmir border.

The West Indies openers, Chris Gayle, unbeaten on 41 with seven thumping boundaries, and Daren Ganga, raised hopes of a positive West Indies reply by scoring 54 together in the 18 overs to close.

But, without Brian Lara, back in Trinidad restoring a fractured left forearm to fitness, they face three difficult days to avoid another defeat to add to the 21 they have endured in their last 25 Tests abroad.

Second day; Pakistan won toss

PAKISTAN – First Innings

(Overnight: 230 for 5)

Yousuf Youhana b Cuffy 146

ÝRashid Latif b Gayle 150

Saqlain Mushtaq c and b Dillon 17

*Waqar Younis not out 25

Shoaib Akhtar b Gayle 20

Danish Kaneria c and b Gayle 0

Extras (b6 lb7 w1) 14

Total (161.5 overs) 493

Fall: 1-3 2-45 3-80 4-94 5-178 6-382 7-438 8-457 9-493.

Bowling: Dillon 42-10-141-3; Collins 33-3-96-0; Cuffy 35-10-75-1; Hooper 32-7-85-2; R O Hinds 4-0-31-0; W W Hinds 8-1-26-1; Gayle 7.5-0-26-3.

WEST INDIES – First Innings

D Ganga not out 11

C H Gayle not out 41

Extras (nb2) 2

Total (for 0, 18 overs) 54

To bat: P T Collins, S L Campbell, *C L Hooper, S Chanderpaul, R O Hinds, W W Hinds, ÝR D Jacobs, M Dillon, C E Cuffy.

Bowling: Waqar Younis 7-2-27-0; Shoaib Akhtar 5-0-21-0; Abdur Razzaq 3-0-4-0; Danish Kaneria 2-0-2-0; Saqlain Mushtaq 1-1-0-0.

Umpires: Mohammed Riazuddin (Pak) and G Sharpe (Eng).