Spectacular Lara hundred shores up West Indies

Batting superstar Brian Lara collected his 30th Test hundred to put West Indies in a healthy position in the second and final Test against Pakistan on Saturday. Watched by a crowd that included former Miss Universe Wendy Fitzwilliam and former World heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis, the 37-year-old Lara was undefeated on 125 to lead West Indies to 275 for four, replying to Pakistan's first innings total of 374, when stumps were drawn on the second day.
The wicket of West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the last over of the day shifted the balance of power however, after he added 70 for the fourth wicket with Lara, who also put on 146 for the third wicket with Ramnaresh Sarwan, who scored 55.
Lara played strokes of all descriptions, but endured a tense period in the 90s, when Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq employed Shabbir Ahmed and Shoaib Malik, two bowlers with questionable bowling actions.
Gathering all of his experience, Lara fought through the tension and eventually glanced Malik to the deep fine leg boundary for four to reach his second hundred of the series to follow his 130 in the first Test at Bridgetown.
Lara, who was also watched by another former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, has smote 16 fours and two sixes from 189 balls in fours hours of batting that produced his fourth hundred of the West Indies' international home series.
Lara batted circumspectly through the early period of his innings and had treated Kaneria with scant disrespect on his way his 50. He lofted the leg-spin bowler for two sixes over long-on onto the Mound, the well-populated party stand, much to the delight of the crowd there.
Lara continued to celebrate with three successive boundaries - two crunching pulls and a scorching square cut - off Rana Navedul Hasan. Sarwan played more sedately and offered his more accomplished batting partner steady support, even offering Lara a few calming words, when he may have shown a rush of blood.
Lara and Sarwan had been brought together when Abdul Razzaq bowled Devon Smith for 25 in the second over after West Indies continued from their lunch position of 59 for one. Sarwan, Lara's former deputy, also played a few telling strokes, including a punishing cut off Shahid Afridi through cover for four, and they helped West Indies to cruise to 162 for two at tea.
SCOREBOARD

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PAKISTAN (1st innings):

(overnight 336 for six)

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S Malik c Browne b Collymore         13

Yasir Hameed c Gayle b Powell        14

Younis Khan c Hinds b Collymore     106

Inzamam-ul-Haq c Smith b Gayle       50

Asim Kamal b Collymore               51

S Afridi c Browne b Collymore        33

Abdul Razzaq lbw b Collymore         19

Kamran Akmal lbw b Powell            49

Rana Navedul Hasan not out            7

S Ahmed c Browne b Collymore          0

Danish Kaneria b Collymore            6

EXTRAS: (B-4, LB-3, W-2, NB-17)      26

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TOTAL: (all out)                    374

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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-16, 2-43, 3-131, 4-247, 5-260, 6-298, 7-336, 8-360, 9-374.
NOTE: Rana retired hurt from 7-355 to 9-374.
BOWLING: Powell 21-4-69-2 (nb3); Best 12-1-59-0 (nb6, w1); Collymore 27.3-5-78-7 (nb6); King 13-1-65-0 (nb2, w1); Gayle 25-1-85-1; Sarwan 2-0-11-0.
OVERS: 100.3

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WEST INDIES (1st innings):

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C. Gayle c K Akmal b Abdul Razzaq     33

D. Smith b Abdul Razzaq               25

R. Sarwan c D Kaneria b S Ahmed       55

B. Lara not out                      125

S. Chanderpaul c K Akmal b D Kaneria  28

EXTRAS: (B-3, LB-3, W-1, NB-2)         9

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TOTAL: (for 4-wkts)                  275

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