West Indian fast bowler, Ravi Rampaul is elated with his opening burst in the second Test at Warner Park in St. Kitts, which has given his team the advantage over Pakistan.
The hosts, leading the two-match Test series with a win at Guyana in the first test, were all over the feeble Pakistani batting line up that fell to a combination of high class bowling by Rampaul, and a succession of reckless shots to end the day at an extremely disappointing 180/6.
Rampaul was the one who set the things rolling for his team. In a brilliant opening spell, he sent Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez and Asad Shafiq back. Umar got one to rise off a length and the left-hander could only glove it through to the wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh.
Hafeez got the ball of the day, he was forced to edge one that also reared off a length at off-stump and Lendl Simmons completed the task with an easy take in the third slip.
Asad Shafiq could not sustain the pressure either, however, he was dismissed off a long hop that he smashed straight to point, where a diving Devendra Bishoo held on to a tough catch.
Speaking to media after Day 1, Rampaul stated that he was happy with his work on a wicket that has the reputation of favouring the batsmen. He added that there was a tinge of moisture in the wicket and he made full use of it in the morning session.
"The pitch here is usually ideal for the batsmen," Rampaul said. "In past matches it has always been a batting track, but it had in some extra moisture in the morning and I was able to get the ball to bounce and carry. I knew I had to use whatever little advantage we had and I decided to exploit it and I got the result we were looking for as a team."
The seamer from Trinidad, who has been in the form of his life ever since the One Day International (ODI) series began last month, added that it was important to make early inroads in the Pakistani batting given the state of the wicket. The player feels that his team would be in a strong position if they knock the visitors over under 250.
"It was the ideal start. We knew from the start it was going to be a good pitch for batting but in the back of my mind I was thinking maybe we could get them for something in the region of 250," he added.
Meanwhile Pakistan have their task cut out. Their reckless middle order batsmen; Misbah Ul Haq, Azhar Aliand Umar Akmal have thrown away their starts and now they hope on a brittle lower order to save their blushes on Day 2.
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