Kraigg Brathwaite missed out on a century as he was run-out for 97 but West Indies managed to take a lead against Pakistan on day 2 of the Jamaica Test.
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Kraigg Brathwaite wanted to take a second run to near his century. But, a direct hit saw him run out for 97. The disappointment was palpable. Sabina Park gave him a standing ovation, but Brathwaite had ensured that West Indies had taken the lead on an attritional day of cricket in Jamaica in the first Test. Brathwaite’s 97, coupled with Jason Holder’s 58 and a 96-run stand for the sixth wicket helped West Indies take a 32-run lead at stumps on day 2.
West Indies had made a horror start when Mohammad Abbas had taken two wickets in two balls. Kieran Powell and Nkrumah Bonner had fallen cheaply and this had forced West Indies to take the cautious approach. Brathwaite and Roston Chase scored a couple of boundaries but they did not lose patience against some disciplined Pakistan bowling.
Brathwaite and Chase stitched a fifty-run stand as they adopted a mixture of caution and aggression. But, just as they were getting into a stable mode, Hasan Ali dismissed Roston Chase for 21 as he edged a delivery that seamed away outside off. Jermaine Blackwood struck a couple of aggressive fours as West Indies reached 81/3 at the lunch break.
Brathwaite inched closer to his fifty but Pakistan staged a fightback. Shaheen Afridi got rid of Blackwood for 22 and Kyle Mayers first ball. Jason Holder managed to survive the hat-trick ball. Brathwaite notched up his fifty with two fours off Faheem Ashraf as West Indies looked to come closer to Pakistan’s score.
Holder matched Brathwaite’s confidence by hammering three fours in one over bowled by Yasir Shah. West Indies faced no further setbacks when they reached tea as both Brathwaite and Holder steadied the ship.
After the tea break, Holder was in fine form as he neared his fifty. He hit three fours in two overs off Shaheen Afridi. The bowler continued to suffer at the hands of Holder as he notched up his 11th fifty with a four to deep square leg. However, the 96-run stand was broken when Faheem Ashraf got the wicket of Holder for 58.
Brathwaite neared his century with a couple of fours and Joshua Da Silva gave West Indies the lead with a four off Yasir Shah. But, disaster struck Brathwaite when he was run-out in trying to take a second run. Joshua Da Silva and Kemar Roach frustrated Pakistan and extended the lead. But, towards the fag end, Mohammad Abbas got the wicket of Roach. However, once again the light deteriorated and play was called off, with West Indies ending the day on 251/8.
After the end of the day, Brathwaite expressed his disappointment in missing out on a ton. “Obviously not feeling too good (getting run-out on 97), as soon as I returned for the second (sensed the trouble), but I committed to two and then I took off. Probably misjudged it and wouldn’t do it again but from a team’s POV [Point of view] I would have liked to be there at the end. Felt good to see a number of drives and I’m very proud of that, have put in a lot of work, and just shows that hard work pays off. Pakistan bowlers bowled well and kept it really tight,” Brathwaite said.
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