Pakistan in command after WIndies openers dislodged

LAHORE, Nov 13 (Reuters) West Indies were left floundering on 28 for two having lost openers Daren Ganga and Chris Gayle on day three of the first test today, leaving them 251 runs shy of the total needed to put Pakistan back into bat.

Earlier, Mohammad Yousuf had fallen eight runs short of his fifth double hundred as Paksitan were finally bowled out for 485.

West Indies lost Ganga (5) to a run-out when Imran Farhat fielding at square leg hit a bulls eye in the third over, before next over pacer Umar Gul had Gayle caught behind for 11 to leave the visitors in big trouble at the start of their second innings.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (5) and skipper Brian Lara (8) were at the crease needing another 251 runs to make Pakistan bat again.

Pakistan were finally bowled out for 485 runs 25 minutes before tea, losing their last four wickets for 52 runs after a seventh wicket stand of 148 runs from 230 balls between Yousuf (192) and Kamran Akmal (78).

Akmal, who hit 13 fours in his fluent innings of 121 balls, was caught at wide mid-wicket by Lara off Gayle, who also had Yousuf stumped after an epic innings that spanned 330 balls and included 24 fours and a six.

It was Yousuf's 20th test ton and sixth this year. He also scored his fifth century at the Gaddafi stadium.

Surviving dropped catches on 43, 101 and 114 and surviving a stumping scare off Dave Mohammad on 53, Yousuf played a patient knock to hold the innings together.

After Gayle's two wickets, Mohammad also enjoyed some success by grabbing the wickets of tailenders Shahid Nazir and Danish Kaneria.

REUTERS PDS KP1618