PAK 46/3 25 overs
Another outstanding spell of pace bowling by the in-form Ravi Rampaul has left Pakistan tottering in the opening session of the second Test, being played at the Warner Park in St. Kitts.
Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first in a match they must win if they are to level the two-match series, following West Indies' win in the first Test at Providence in Guyana. The wicket looked full of runs, yet the brittle Pakistani batting order has a tendency of collapsing in best of conditions and today was no different. The pair of Taufeeq Umar and Mohammad Hafeez, who were lined up easily in both innings by Rampaul and Co., was again left to rue the bowling form of Rampaul who was in top gear from the outset.
The Trinidadian made the ball bounce and seam off a good length and bowled some beauties; the ball to get rid of Hafeez was easily the best one of the morning session, it left the right-hander at the last fraction of a second as he prodded forward. The ball found the edge of the bat and was smartly held in the slips by Lendl Simmons.
Before that, he accounted for the left-handed Umar with a ball that reared off a good length and kissed the opener’s gloves through to the wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh.
Pakistan had more trouble coming their way after the demise of Hafeez, the obdurate Asad Shafiq attempted a cut short of a wide one from Rampaul, but to his horror he smashed it straight at Devendra Bishoo stationed at point.
Shafiq did not score a run, the pair of Azhar Ali and Misbah Ul Haq took the visitors to lunch without further loss. However they have to bat a long time if they are to bring back their team in the must-win match.
Rampaul meanwhile returned brilliant figures of 3/13 off 9 overs in the first session of the match.
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