All-round Pakistan cement dominance on slow-moving day

Day three of the second Test between Pakistan and West Indies in Abu Dhabi yielded just 232 runs, but it still turned out to be an absorbing tussle between bat and ball. In a battle of wills, West Indies' batsmen stonewalled the varied assortment of Pakistan's bowlers to some extent, but eventually were snuffed out for 224. The home side then demonstrated their ability to grind out the opposition as they stretched the lead to 342 and maintained their supremacy over proceedings at stumps on Sunday (October 23).

Incidentally, despite being in front by 228 runs, Pakistan didn't enforce the follow-on. Azhar Ali (52 not out) and Sami Aslam (50) had plenty of time and space to attune to the conditions and they shared a useful union of 93 for the first wicket.

For the third time running in the day, the final session too turned out to be a slow-moving one. Azhar and Aslam were intent on repelling the good deliveries and only when presented with an opportunity, the pair cracked a few cuts, lofts and drives. The duo perhaps had a few inner demons to contend with after the hosts were bundled out for 123 in the second innings of the first Test.

Azhar also survived a couple of reviews. In the 10th over, the opener seemed to be in trouble after he was adjudged LBW by the on-field umpire, Michael Gough. However, the 31-year-old straightaway took the review. After going through a stream of replays, there was an indication that he had eked out a faint inside edge and the decision was overturned.

Gough, the on-field umpire, was guilty of another poor decision in the 12th over. He answered an appeal for leg-before against Aslam in the affirmative, but it had to be reversed after replays suggested a thick inside edge. To make matters worse for the visitors, Jermaine Blackwood grassed a chance off Azhar at slip.

It was only at the fag end of the day's play when West Indies were able to break the opening stand. Aslam attempted a glance off Shannon Gabriel and the appeal for a strangle down the leg-side was turned down. However, for the umpteenth time in the day's play, West Indies asked for the review and surprisingly, it was reversed. Without snickometer and HotSpot, it was hard to tell whether Aslam had edged it or not.

The way the openers went about threading the gaps with ease, gives an inkling that Pakistan were in cruise mode for most part of the day. The home side, however, had to put in the hard yards in the first two sessions to cement their dominant position. It was Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali and Yasir Shah who strangulated the opposition, to pick nine wickets between them.

In the first hour, Rahat Ali was a trifle unlucky as he went past the outside edge on numerous occasions. However, despite the scorching heat, the 28-year-old pacer didn't give up. The man from Multan bent his back and exerted enough pressure to winkle out Jermaine Blackwood.

It was a nice piece of bowling from the left-arm swing bowler as he went wide of the crease, pushed one across the right-hander to induce the outside edge. Devendra Bishoo, who was involved in a terrible mix-up with Brathwaite late in the evening on day two, put up a strong resistance as well.

With his no-frills determined approach, Bishoo frustrated Pakistan before Sohail castled him with a fine delivery that swung late and away to shatter the timber. Roston Chase (22) and Shai Hope also allied rock solid defence with temperament to stonewall Pakistan's march.

The pair's 25-run stand in a little over 16 overs was an unspectacular one, but it gave the visitors a glimmer of hope of posting a fightback. It was at that crucial juncture of the match, Yasir showed his class and quality to run through the lower-middle-order

He dislodged Chase immediately after the hosts took the new ball with a deliciously flighted delivery. He also coaxed an indecisive pull from Hope with a zooter to rattle the timber. Holder, Miguel Cummins and Gabriel tried to use their long levers and reach to slog a few, but the visitors folded for a modest total.

With subtle changes of drift and turn, Yasir proved to be a handful on a slow pitch. However, the major share of the credit has to go the pace duo of Rahat and Sohail for making the old ball talk.

Pakistan hold all the aces going into day four. With nine wickets in hand, the home side will look to up the tempo and set an imposing target. There are no gremlins in the pitch, but the hosts have enough variety at their disposal to wrap up the series.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 452 (Younis Khan 127, Misbah-ul-Haq 96; Shannon Gabriel 5-96) and 114 for 1 (Azhar Ali 52*, Sami Aslam 50; Shannon Gabriel 1-21) lead West Indies 224 (Darren Bravo 43; Yasir Shah 4-86) by 342 runs.