West Indies slips to 129-5, leads Pakistan by 138 runs in 2nd test

MULTAN, Pakistan — Left-arm spinner Noman Ali continued to prosper on a turning pitch with a match haul of 10 wickets as West Indies slipped to 129-5 on Day 2 of the second cricket test on Sunday.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s first half century of the tour had stretched West Indies lead to 101 but the tourists lost four wickets in the hour before lunch to hold a 138-run with five second innings wickets in hand.

Ali followed his first innings effort of 6-41, including a hat-trick, with 4-59 on Sunday as West Indies middle-order batters were yet again trapped by Pakistan's spinners.

It followed a chaotic Day 1 that saw 20 wickets fall and Pakistan concede a slender nine-run lead after it was bowled out for 154 in reply to West Indies score of 163.

Brathwaite’s counterattacking approach against spinners paid off on Day 2 as he completed his half century off 57 balls with four boundaries and two big sixes against Ali and Sajid Khan.

Brathwaite used his feet well against both spinners and even swept well as he raised his team’s 50 inside the first hour with opening partner Mikyle Louis.

However, Louis' struggling tour came to an end when he chipped an easy catch to short cover off Ali when on seven. Brathwaite and debutant Amir Jangoo then added further 42 runs before the tourists lost four wickets for 37 runs.

Off-spinner Sajid Khan twice came close to dismissing Brathwaite off successive balls, but on both occasions onfield umpire Rod Tucker of Australia had to change his decision as replays suggested the ball would have missed the leg stump.

But Brathwaite's luck ran out soon after completing his half century when he was undone by Ali’s flighted ball and was stumped.

Jangoo, who was out for duck in the first innings, looked set against the spinners before he mistimed a sweep against Khan and lobbed an easy catch to the slips.

Ali then made further inroads in his last two overs before the break when he had Kavem Hodge stumped with another looping delivery and then Alick Athanaza was trapped lbw on the backfoot from a delivery that didn't spin much.

Pakistan leads the series 1-0 after its 127-run win in the first test. Both teams are placed at the bottom of the World Test Championship with Australia and South Africa qualifying for this June's final at Lord's.

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