Justin Greaves made an unbeaten 64 to steer West Indies to 239-5 at stumps on a rain-shortened opening day of the second and final Test against Pakistan in Trinidad on Sunday.
After a match-winning display with the ball in the first Test last week, Greaves displayed what has now become his trademark ease and composure at the crease in a battling knock at Queen’s Park Oval.
His only error of judgement came just after reaching the half-century mark when opposing captain Babar Azam put down a straightforward chance at leg slip off spinner Sajid Khan.
Greaves at that time was almost hobbling after a left leg injury sustained while completing a sharp run that necessitated lengthy treatment on the field.
His sixth-wicket partnership with Roston Chase (36 not out) was worth 66 runs at the close of play and Greaves will be hoping for a return to his usual athletic mobility when he resumes the innings with his captain on the second morning.
He had come to the crease in mid-afternoon at 91 for three as Kavem Hodge became Khan’s first wicket. When Amir Jangoo fell to a leg-side catch to give debutant pacer Ubaid Shah his first Test wicket with the first ball of a new spell, Pakistan sensed the chance to break the back of the West Indies resistance.
However, Greaves and Shai Hope provided a measure of stability in a 53-run stand until seamer Mohammad Ali, the most impressive of the bowlers on the day, bowled Hope off the inside edge for 29 to leave the innings in the balance at 173 for five.
Pakistan omit Abbas
Earlier, Pakistan’s bewildering decision-making — on and off the field of play — highlighted a rain-affected morning session.
Mohammad Abbas, the tourists’ best bowler by some distance from the 90-run defeat in the first Test, was dropped despite a match haul of eight for 85, including five for 22 in the second innings.
A second Pakistani debutant, Awais Zafar, got his chance due to the finger injury sustained by former captain Shan Masood while compiling a determined century in the first Test.
Pakistan’s think tank seemed convinced of the wisdom of playing an additional slow bowler on a surface devoid of grass, drafting in Khan as an off-spinning option alongside left-arm orthodox bowler Ali Usman, who went wicketless on debut in the first Test.
Khan’s first notable act in the match was to take the catch at long leg which sent Tagenarine Chanderpaul to the pavilion for 15 as he failed to control a hook shot off Mohammad Ali after a brisk opening stand of 49 with Brandon King.
“We needed those partnerships at the end of the day and it was good to see those guys (Greaves, Hope and Chase) making those contributions,” said King in summing up the day’s effort.
“It would be nice if we get more of the same from them tomorrow and Justin and Roston can go on to get hundreds.”
As easily as the runs flowed, especially off King’s bat, in the early exchanges after Chase opted to bat first, both could have been dismissed earlier with more attacking tactics as they each benefited from edges at catchable height through the vacant third slip position.
Mohammad Ali was even pleading with Babar for additional support in the slip cordon following the third of those fortunate escapes.
King’s luck ran out though following the 90-minute rain break as Usman snared him for his first Test wicket, leg before wicket for 46.
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West Indies elected to bat after winning the toss against Pakistan in the second Test of the two-match series at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, on Sunday.
The hosts are leading the series 1-0 after winning the first match by 90 runs in Trinidad.
Pakistan made four changes to their playing XI, with Ubaid Shah and Awais Zafar set to make their Test debuts. Abdullah Shafique and Sajid Khan returned to the side, while Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Shan Masood and Mohammad Abbas missed out.
Despite being Pakistan’s standout bowler in the opening Test, Abbas was left out, with captain Babar Azam citing conditions as the reason for his omission.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Awais Zafar, Ali Usman, Sajid Khan, Mohammad Ali and Ubaid Shah.
West Indies: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Brandon King, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope, Amir Jangoo, Justin Greaves, Roston Chase (c), Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican, Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales.
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West Indies wrapped up a commanding 90-run victory over Pakistan in the opening Test on Tuesday, bowling out the visitors for 120 while defending a target of 211 to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Resuming their chase after Tea at 114/9, with captain Babar Azam and No. 11 Mohammad Abbas unbeaten on 53 and 22, respectively, Pakistan could add only six more runs before Seales trapped Abbas lbw in the second over after the interval.
Babar remained Pakistan’s top scorer with an unbeaten 58 from 107 deliveries, while Abbas made a defiant 23 from 33 balls. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was the only other Pakistan batter to reach double figures, scoring 11 during a 21-run fourth-wicket partnership with Babar.
Seales spearheaded West Indies’ bowling attack in the second innings with outstanding figures of 5/20 from 14.2 overs. Kemar Roach and Justin Greaves claimed two wickets apiece, while Shamar Joseph picked up one.
Earlier, Babar and Rizwan resumed cautiously after Tea and added 21 runs for the fourth wicket before Justin Greaves bowled Rizwan in the sixth over of the session.
Following Rizwan’s dismissal, Pakistan lost five wickets for the addition of just 25 runs and slumped to 71/9.
Babar was then joined by Abbas, and the pair shared an unbroken 49-run stand for the final wicket, during which the Pakistan captain brought up his 32nd Test half-century and guided his side past the 100-run mark.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan made a disappointing start to their chase as Kemar Roach had experienced opener Imam-ul-Haq (3) caught behind in the third over with just five runs on the board.
Emerging opener Azan Awais (3) briefly resisted alongside Babar in a 16-run partnership for the second wicket before Jayden Seales had him caught behind in the sixth over.
Seales struck again in his next over, trapping Salman Ali Agha lbw for a duck to leave Pakistan struggling at 25/3.
At the start of the fourth and final day, West Indies resumed their second innings on 126/7 and added a valuable 55 runs for their remaining three wickets.
Having secured a slender 29-run first-innings lead after posting 311 and dismissing Pakistan for 282, the hosts set the visitors a target of 211 to win the series opener.
Lower-order batters Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach, who resumed the innings overnight, continued to frustrate Pakistan’s bowlers by extending their partnership to 61 runs.
Right-arm pacer Mohammad Ali finally made the breakthrough in the fifth over of the day, deceiving Joseph with a slower delivery. The left-hander top-scored for West Indies with a brisk 38 from 27 deliveries, including four sixes and a four.
Roach eventually fell to Abbas in the 53rd over after lobbing a simple catch to Babar Azam at short cover. He scored a patient 18 from 63 deliveries.
No. 10 batter Jomel Warrican added to Pakistan’s frustration with a quickfire 14 from 20 balls before Abbas bowled him to finish with outstanding figures of 5/22 from 15.5 overs.
Abbas was well supported by fellow pacers Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shahzad, who claimed two wickets each, while Aamir Jamal chipped in with one.
