Lara wants to make last Test ‘special’

KARACHI—Confident-looking West Indies after securing psychological advantage in Multan Test, would be bidding to square the three match series when they clash Pakistan in third and final cricket Test at National Stadium here on Monday.
Though Pakistan took the lead in the series when they thrashed the visiting side by nine wickets inside four days in the first Test at Lahore.
However, cricket legend Brian Lara, who made 62 and 122 in the first test loss, reaffirmed his class with a classical 218 in the second Test which boosted West Indies to score their highest total of 591 against Pakistan.
That knock by batting genius, Lara in Multan, not only lifted the morale and changed the mood in West Indian camp.
Despite the presence of experienced Chris Gayle, Shiv Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan in the line-up, master blaster Lara holds the key for the visitors in series deciding match. If Lara click, the whole scenario of the West Indies batsmen changed.
Highly skilful Lara has scored four Test centuries in four last Test matches in Barbados, Jamaica, Lahore and Multan against Pakistan, certainly looking forward to play his last Test in and against Pakistan with another record-breaking performance in his glittering career.
It was same ground, nine years ago when Pakistan made clean-sweep of three match series in 1997-97 against West Indies when they toured under fast bowler Courtney Walsh.
On the other hand, Pakistan will heavily banking on their infrom batting supremo Muhammad Yousuf, who had string scores of 192, 56 and 191 in three innings he had played. With Inzamam-ul-Haq struggling the bat, having scored just 41 runs in three innings, a big innings was due from Pakistan Captain to show his class.
Left handed opener Imran Farhat, who had two fine knocks of 74 and 76 in drawn Multan Test must show the habit of converting his big knocks into hundreds.
A ton can give Imran a great confidence after missing the feat here and on the tour of England.
Pakistan has drafted fast bowler Muhammad Sami in the team but his inclusion in the final eleven depends on the mood of the captain. But Sami had serious no-ball problem while representing NBP in domestic cricket.
All-rounder Abdul Razzaq, who came to dropped from Multan Test, scored a fighting match saving 81 in that match. Razzaq’s reverse swing with old ball could pose some problems for West Indian batsmen.
Razzaq played a key part in Pakistan’s triumph against India here when scored 45 and 90 as batsman and took seven wickets in the match.
Peshawar-express Umar Gul with swing bowler Shahid Nazir are spearheading Pakistan’s pace attack. Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria must lift his mood, morale and courage to his class infront of his home town crowd.
Match will be played on a newly laid surface which has been described as batting track. But pacemen had always good swing movement and bounce on this pitch. Teams from: Pakistan: Imran Farhat, Muhammad Hafeez, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Muhammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq (Captain), Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wicket-keeper), Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Nazir, Muhammad Sami, Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria, Yasir Hameed, Faisal Iqbal and Samiullah Niazi. West Indies: Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Brian Lara (Captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ranako Morton, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (wicket-keeper), Dave Muhammad, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Omari Banks and Lendl Simmons. Umpires: DJ Harper (Australia) & Mark Benson (England) match referee: Roshan Mahnama (Sri Lanka).
Skipper Brian Lara said Sunday that he was looking forward to accomplish something special for West Indies in his farewell Test in Pakistan. Third and final cricket test against Pakistan starting at Karachi’s National Stadium on Monday will be Lara’s last Test in Pakistan and though he is keen to do well, a result for his side, he said, would be immensely more important.
“That question has been asked of me around the world recently. It will be my last Test in Pakistan and on a personal note, yes I would like to do something really special’ he told reporters in pre match press conference. But, if after six years, we can beat a major Test nation away from home and leave a great memory for West Indies like that, that will be my number one aim.”
37-year-old Lara, who had already accumulated 506 runs in three innings and was just 96 runs away from completing 12,000 runs in his 131st Test match said he would like to continue in the same vein, like in Lahore and Multan.
Responding to question regarding Muhammad Yousuf’s great batting form in the current series he said the would be coming hard on Pakistan and him in the series deciding final test.—Agencies