Greaves, Chase steady Windies

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Justin Greaves’s unbeaten half-century helped the West Indies level the playing field with Pakistan at the end of the first day of the second Test yesterday.

Greaves finished on 64 not out as the Windies fought back to reach 239 for five in 74 overs at Queen’s Park Oval, after electing to bat first for the second straight match. His skipper Roston Chase is unbeaten on 36, with the pair sharing an unbroken 66-run stand for the sixth wicket that lifted the hosts from a precarious 173 for five after tea.

Following a brief rain delay that pushed back the start by 15 minutes, openers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Brandon King gave the home side a solid start, adding 49 runs at better than five an over. But Chanderpaul gifted his wicket on the last ball before lunch, hooking pacer Mohammad Ali straight to Sajid Khan at deep fine leg.

Play resumed at 12:40 p.m., with King moving close to a half-century before debutant spinner Ali Usman trapped him leg before wicket for 46. Initially given not out, Pakistan’s review showed the ball crashing into middle stump, leaving the score on 65 for two.

With the pitch assisting spinners, Sajid Khan joined the attack and combined with Usman to trouble Kavem Hodge and Amir Jangoo. Hodge fell for 10 after a review showed the ball brushing his glove, while Jangoo struck three fours in his 26 before edging debutant pacer Ubaid Shah behind, reducing the Windies to 120 for four.

Greaves then partnered Shai Hope in a 53-run stand for the fifth wicket. He survived a sharp chance at cover when Babar Azam spilled him on 22, but Pakistan struck back when Ali bowled Hope off the inside edge for 29.

Chase joined Greaves and the pair defied Pakistan’s bowlers for the remainder of the day. Greaves brought up his second Test half-century off 92 balls, pushing Khan behind square for two. He has so far faced 125 deliveries and struck eight fours, while Chase has batted 70 balls for five boundaries.