1st test - Pakistan v West Indies, 26 - 30 May, Barbados

[Shaka]

A competitive total in the end, once again Lara being the main obstacle for Pakistan...apart from our fielders that is. I think Pakistan will struggle to pass that total to be honest. Far too many key batsmen missing with Inzimam, Youhanna and to a lesser extent, Malik all out. The batting line up looks very green but they all have ability so you never know.

EDIT:

Not sure it was a good idea to send Shahid Afridi as an opener in a test match either. I am pretty sure he would make runs down the order but to expose him to the new ball is a bit risky IMO. Yasir Hameed would have been my choice but I hope Afridi proves me wrong.

[Occasional Fan]

Pakistan seem to be in a bit of trouble at 96-4. Anyone following this match?

[Saad]

I'm trying to.

[Saad]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Saad, daily TV coverage starts at 3pm BST (so 2pm GMT and 7pm PST for you).

So you missed the ODI series? Was good to watch, and I am sure you would have enjoyed the atmosphere at St. Lucia and St. Vincent.

I have also made this thread sticky - this will now be the official WAT Test match thread.


PS: surely ZR could have helped you with this?

Thank you Maranello, I did tune in at 7 today, but apparently play had begun a while earlier, I think about half past six. I couldn't catch the one-day series as I was out of town, apparently there is no cricket coverage in Tanzania. Zainub is too busy with her exams, in fact she's moved out of her own home to settle down transitorally at her grandma's where she finds the enviroment more conducive to studying. I don't think she would have known her self when the cricket would start, unless of coarse she's been very nauty and watching it some of her self despite having exams every other day. In the meanwhile Pakistan have just been 'dismissed' for 145, with Younis Khan 'top-scorring' with 31 and Fidel Edwards taking a 'five-for'.

And as the process of my cricketing discovery continues, can anyone please define a legal bowling action for me so I can somehow derive sense of all the talk about Shabbir Ahmed. Also, may I know more about the "frictions" between Youhanna and some other players one of the commentators was talking about, they added that the official verdict was that he'd left because of his father's illness, but I want to know more. Why did they say that in the first place? And finally, has anyone else noticed that it's been a particularly bad season for fathers of Pakistani cricketers, dads of Younis Khan and Rana Naved both died while I was following the Australia tour, and now Youhanna's father is sick too...(let's hope he gets well soon) may be this is a good exuse for me to stop or reduce watching cricket...

[Doink]

Thats a lead of 201 runs for the Windies! But I dont think they made good use of the opportunity at hand. Gayle should have rallied on...only 2 days gone and 24 wkts down! The Windies have a 360+ lead and Chanderpaul & Hinds will have to make sure they take it to atleast 450+, which they can.

[workkey]

Its such a bad day for our bowling that even tailenders like edwards are thrashing us to boundries..lead now up 570 ..

A great knock by chanderpaul has put his team in a commanding position,but i would also like to comment on the bad umpiring in this match especially by shepherd,i dont why he always gives decisions against us ..
chanderpaul still batting with the last man in now and has just pulled one to bring his 150 and still no signs of declaration

[Rachael]

Looks like Pakistan have done OK from a quick glance at the scoresheet: Chanderpaul and extras make up half the score..with the other 10 of the WI side managing less than 200 between them. Edwards did add 20.. but he only lasted 24 deliveries: not that big a deal.

AT least Sami and Shoaib weren't present.. otherwise you might have been looking at a 400+ WI total in half the time :-)

[Maranello]

Rachael, I agree the Pakistani bowlers throughout the Test have been reasonable for what they are; not fulfilling all their potential by any means, but not criminally profligate either.

The batting, now that is a different matter.

[Doink]

Two full days left but PAK are 4 wkts down. No need of talking about how many runs they're behind. All I want to see is how far can batsmen like Kamal, Razzaq and especially Afridi can go to save this match!

[cantplaycantalk]

Kind of expect them to be a bit wayward really.

They rome and Fidel burns them