Pakistan secure 49-run lead
West Indies 223 (Samuels 57, Hafeez 3-23) trail Pakistan 272 by 49 runs
Perhaps these two sides should invert their batting orders? Following tail-end resistance from Tanvir Ahmed and Saeed Ajmal yesterday, it was the turn of Ravi Rampaul and Kemar Roach to keep West Indies in the frame against Pakistan. A 60-run partnership - the highest of the innings - took the hosts to 223, cutting the deficit to just 49 runs on the third morning in St Kitts.
For much of the first hour, the pair was untroubled. They began as top-order men, quietly settling themselves in, presumably for the long haul. Yesterday, as the day ended, they had landed some heavy blows. Not so this morning; from the offset they looked secure. Rampaul even seemed to be picking Saeed Ajmal's doosra.
It wasn't until the ninth over of the morning that there was even any kind of appeal, and even then it was a ludicrous one from Ajmal. Most of the strokes were accomplished ones and there was none of the impatience that has blighted much of the top-order batting on both sides.
The first boundary came as Roach guided Abdur Rehman through slips - how many runs have Pakistan given up through that region in this series? In the next over, he cut Tanvir Ahmed for a more authoritative boundary; for some reason, Ahmed has barely been used. An over later, as Rampaul cut Mohammad Hafeez for two, the fifty partnership was brought up. Roach spanked Wahab Riaz next through covers and a wicket didn't look like falling at all.
Eventually it was left to Hafeez - who has at times looked Pakistan's most threatening bowler - to break through, deceiving Roach in flight. A few overs later, Devendra Bishoo gave Taufeeq Umar at slip his fourth catch of the innings and Ajmal a deserved third wicket.
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