Well seeing as most of the interest in cricket is in the ashes these days, I thought i would make this thread for the third test match between west indies and pakistan.
The third test is in the southern city in Karachi. The national stadium has nearly always given results in test matches and both teams will be looking for a win. pakistan need to either win or draw(which i dont see happening on this pitch) to seal the series whereas West Indies need to win to draw the series. Karachi will give the fast bowlers something to enjoy as it always supports them. Pakistan have a very good record at this stadium. They will remember their last test outing here against India, when even after Pathan took a hat trick in the first over of the game, paistan came back with a win. this ground will also has fond memories for kamran akmal where he made one of the best centuries ever seen on seamer friendly conditions. Pakistan have the choice to drop Razzaq after dismal performances and put it either the off-key recalled Mohammad Sami, or the promising young left arm seamer Saimullah Khan. Mohammad Sami has been tipped to earn a recall into the team and the national stadium is also his home ground. Mohammad Yousuf will also be hoping to break Viv Richards record of most test runs in a year, and given the form he is in now, 149 would almost be easy for him
West Indies will be hoping for a turnaround of luck after the last test match in Multan slipped from thier fingertips. Brian Lara is in such great form and is determined to bring a win in his last test match in Pakistan. Corey Collymore will also be hoping that luck would go his way after magnificant bowling performances in the previous two test matches. Sarwan is likely to be back into the team and this will be a boost for the west indians.
whatever the result, a cracking game will be here in Karachi, a much different pitch to the rest of Pakistan.

Regardless of who comes in his place (hopefully it'll be Sami ), Razzak should go.

And all eyes on Yousuf. Here's hoping that he can do it, he deserves evey bit of it.

He will make it hopefully, meanwhile im going to go and get some tickets to go to the match!!!

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Pakistan on 235/5 Farhat nearly got a half century.... out on 47 and Moyo another 100!!!! he is still playing.. what a player.. he is unstoppable.. just 27 runs from Viv's record now!!! Go Moyo!!!

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76.3 Collymore to Mohammad Yousuf, OUT, short ball around the off stump, cutting in off the wicket and ball keeping low, Yousuf picks the length and goes for the pull, completely misses by the low bounce and ball strikes the pads, caught in front of the stumps

And he was not the only batsman to be undone by the lack of bounce today, its a shocking surface they've produced here, I must say. Even 250 runs will be a good total first innings total on this surface.

Never judge a pitch till both teams have batted on it Z

could not have said it better myself. however i do believe that this pitch is not exactly a batsman's paradise. it will be for some batsman but not all. the ball keeping so low and it is to turn. danish kaneria's flippers would be deadly i think. i dont think all batsman will prosper here but some will.

Its not a batsman's paradise at all, its...its a cricket hater's paradise really. So slow you can't really score of easily because the ball doesn't come on well enough, and so ridiculously low in bounce you might as well just refuse to bowl on it citing it an affront to the art of bowling; its a total all round rubbish cricket surface.

This morning in an interview Yousaf said the pitch is not that easy to bat on. Easy to score runs, but not easy to bat on. Interesting. Would love to see how spin goes.

Right now, the Windie batsmen are making hay in the sun and Kaneria was brought on very early by Inzi.