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

[Saad]

What time does it start? I saw here in avents of next seven days that it begins on Thursday the 26th, but I can't seem to find any place on the web that will tell me exactly when. What's Barbadous standard time, GMT minus 10? I don't have a clue. Any help will be appreciated, thank you. Would just like to watch some of the cricket, probably a session at most, that's all the time I would be able to give, have heard a lot about the specialities of cricket in the Carribean, hopefully I'll come to like it my self as well.

Saad

[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?

[Maranello]

With both Inzi and Shoaib Malik suspended for this Test, the main selection conundrum facing Pakistan will be the final batting slot. The two candidates are Yasir Hameed and Bazid Khan; I would go for Yasir Hameed, as he has done very well the last two Tests he played (Sydney and Bangalore). The other question mark is for the second pacer slot; it will be one of Shabbir and Rao who will partner Rana, am not sure on this one as both could offer something.

The team would then be (though the batting order would probably be different):

1. Salman Butt
2. Shahid Afridi
3. Yasir Hameed
4. Younis Khan
5. Yousaf Youhana
6. Asim Kamal
7. Abdul Razzaq
8. Kamran Akmal
9. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
10. Rao Iftikhar / Shabbir Ahmed
11. Danish Kaneria

[Maranello]

A blow for Pakistan as Youhana cannot play the first Test. His father is seriously ill back in Pakistan and he is flying back home. With Inzamam and Malik already not playing, this makes the Paksitani batting look very weak on paper, and the Windies would have the upper hand going into the first Test.

West Indies have won the toss and are batting first.

[flanflinger]

This is probably likely to be more of an intresting Test than the farce that is being played out at Lords.. It is on SKY sports (another reason to get SKY) I may end up watching much of this Test rather than the England one....

[Maranello]

Gayle out to Shabbir. And then we have this:

6.6 Naved-ul-Hasan to Smith, no run, Dropped; a straightforward edge to a ball that moved away and its put down by debutant Bazid Khan at second slip, stomach high

What sort of amateurish display is this? And why is a debutant fielding at slips anyway, shouldn't the regular guys be there?

PS: well okay, the above was a trifle too knee-jerk for my normal sedate self. Bazid has now redeemed himself:

9.1 Shabbir Ahmed to Sarwan, OUT: Bazid the youngster keeps his nerves this time and picks up a tougher slip catch low to is right at third slip and Sarwan got squared up by a fine away swinger on off stump

Lara in now, 25/2.

[Occasional Fan]

And for the umpteenth time in recent memory, it's Lara to the rescue. In he comes at 25-2, calmly puts on a century and WI are now at a much more respectable 174-3, Lara 103 not out.

[Maranello]

And a splendid innings it was too, Lara taking the attack to the Pakistani bowlers, in particular Kaneria. Sure, he was dropped once and had a couple of close calls, but apart from that, was in complete command of the conditions and the bowling - well done! His 29th Test century, first against Pakistan.

Younis has just brought on Afridi, and in Afridi's very first over, this happens:

39.4 Shahid Afridi to Lara, two runs, Drooped! A simple edge to slip and Hameed late and it hits his wrist - a let-off Pakistan may well rue

!!!!!

[Occasional Fan]

And I see it was Kaneria who eventually dislodged Lara when he had scored 130 of the 189 runs added while he was out there.

WI 246-4 at tea.

[Paoli]

Stumps, Pakistan 22-0, WI all out for 345.