Lara guides West Indies past Pakistan total

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

MULTAN, Nov 21 (Reuters) Brian Lara continued his brilliant form against Pakistan, scoring 154 not out to put West Indies in a commanding position of 424 for four wickets at tea on the third day of the second test today.

The West Indies captain, who scored a stunning 100 runs from 77 balls before lunch, dropped anchor after the interval and put on an undefeated 122 runs for the fifth wicket with Dwayne Bravo (56).

After losing the first of the three-match series by nine wickets in Lahore last week, the tourists lead by 67 runs with six first innings wickets remaining after they dismissed Pakistan for 357 yesterday.

Dropped in the slips on 131 by Imran Farhat off Shoaib Malik, Lara toned down his aggressive approach as he scored 54 runs from 68 balls in the afternoon session with five fours and one six.

However, his scoring rate remains impressive and the left-hander's 153-ball knock includes 17 fours and six sixes in total.

In the morning, Lara had raced from 50 to 100 in just 29 balls to become the fifth batsman in history to score a century before lunch.

His 34th hundred in his 130th match also took him into joint-second place alongside former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar on the list of most test hundreds. India's Sachin Tendulkar leads the way with 35.

Lara has now scored centuries in each of the West Indies' last four tests against Pakistan.

BATTED SENSIBLY Lara and Bravo, who scored his sixth fifty from 48 balls with nine fours, batted sensibly on a flat track to frustrate the Pakistani attack.

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq introduced leg-spinner Danish Kaneria into the attack for two overs, but he went for 15 runs as Bravo hit him for three fours.

Before lunch, Kaneria was savaged by Lara and ended the afternoon session with figures of 32-2-145-2.

The 37-year-old Lara, who made 61 and 122 in Lahore, hit Kaneria for 60 runs from just 29 balls including 26 runs in one particular over, which included three sixes and two fours.

Kaneria had given Pakistan the initial breakthrough in the first session after West Indies had resumed on 151-0.

He trapped Chris Gayle (93) and Daren Ganga (82) leg before, while pacer Umar Gul struck in his first over with the second new ball with Runako Morton's wicket, also given leg before.

Shahid Nazir then chipped in with the prized wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was caught at mid-on by Abdul Razzaq for 14 runs to dampen the celebrations of his 100th test appearance.

REUTERS DH HS1605

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