Slow progress as Yousuf closes on runs record

KARACHI, Nov 27 (Reuters) Mohammad Yousuf continued his prolific form with another half-century as Pakistan made slow progress to 174 for three at tea on day one of the third and final against the West Indies today.

Pakistan added only 86 runs to their lunchtime score of 88 for two as Yousuf made his 27th fifty and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq batted slowly for 17 in a bid to regain his form.

Inzamam became the tenth highest scorer in test cricket with 8541 runs when he took his second run.

Yousuf (67no) reached his fifty from 67 balls with eight fours.

Yousuf, who made 192, 56 and 191 in the first two tests, needs 82 more runs to break Vivian Richards' record tally of 1710 runs in 11 matches in a calendar year.

Imran Farhat was the only wicket to fall in the session in which the visiting bowlers tried hard to make an impact on a pitch which is slow, with low bounce and has no sideways movement.

Farhat gifted his wicket three runs short of his third successive fifty in the series when he chased a wide ball from Dwayne Bravo to get a thick edge to keeper Denesh Ramdin.

Inzamam, who has not scored a fifty in his last five tests, came in at 112 for three and refused to take any chances with Yousuf left to do the bulk of the scoring.

Earlier West Indies picked up the wickets of Mohammad Hafeez (18) and Younis Khan (20) after losing the toss.

Corey Collymore bowled Hafeez with an inswinging delivery that kept low.

Younis Khan was run out after a stand of 46 with Farhat as Daren Powell showed quick reflexes to collect the ball in his follow through and beat him with a direct throw.

West Indies brought back batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan in place of spinner Dave Mohammed.

REUTERS AY BD1610