Shoaib Akhtar inspires Pakistan
to Test victory

Fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Abdur Razzaq caused a sensational West Indian collapse on Monday to lead Pakistan to a resounding 170-run victory in the first cricket Test in Sharjah.

Shoaib picked up a career-best 5 for 24 and Razzaq took 4 for 25 as the West Indians lost nine wickets for 56 runs -- the last seven for 25 -- to be shot out for 171 in their second knock at tea on the fifth and final day.

Set an improbable victory target of 342, the West Indians caved in despite a solid start that had propelled them to 115 for 1 soon after lunch.

The second and final Test of the short series, being played at the neutral venue of the Sharjah cricket stadium, starts on Thursday on an adjacent wicket.

Shoaib put aside the controversy over his bowling action to work up hostile pace even on the slow wicket to better his previous best of 5 for 43 against South Africa at Durban in 1998.

The tuition he received during the course of this Test from former West Indian bowling great Michael Holding, who is here as a television commentator, worked wonders as Shoaib beat batsmen with lightening speed.

Seven West Indian batsmen were either bowled or trapped leg-before, indicating the speed at which both Shoaib and Razzaq bowled.

Shoaib began the destruction in the third over after lunch when he clean bowled Chris Gayle, who hit an impressive 66 with 15 boundaries.

In his next over, Shoaib produced a fast, lifting delivery that took the glove of Wavell Hinds and was snapped up by wicket-keeper Rashid Latif.

t was Latif's 100th dismissal in his 28th Test, during which he also completed 1,000 runs while making 150 in the first innings.

he West Indies suffered another blow soon after when She- rwin Campbell was declared run out by third umpire Athar Zaidi after responding to Carl Hooper's call for a sharp single.

Razzaq took over from there, removing Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Hooper and Ridley Jacobs in one over to reduce the West Indies to 150-7.

Chanderpaul was caught behind off the first ball of Razzaq's fourth over, before Hooper and Jacobs were trapped leg-before off the fifth and sixth.

Razzaq was denied a hat-trick, as was Shoaib soon after when he clean bowled Mervyn Dillon and Cameron Cuffy off successive balls.

The last-wicket pair of Ryan Hinds and Pedro Collins put on 16 before Razzaq bowled Collins for 12 to signal Pakistan's win.

Mail Cricket Editor