BASSETERRE (St Kitts), May 22: Mohammad Hafeez and Taufiq Umar cut loose after surviving early scares, taking Pakistan to 55 without loss in their second innings for an overall lead of 104 at lunch in the second Test against West Indies on Sunday. Taufiq was unbeaten 39 and Hafeez was not out on 15, indulging themselves, hitting 11 boundaries between them, after the Pakistanis, looking for a series-levelling victory, dismissed West Indies for 223 before the interval to grab a first innings lead of 49.

In between an attractive array of strokes, the two openers gained two reprieves apiece however, helping to engineer a bright start to the visitors’ second innings.

Hafeez was nought, when he edged the fourth ball of the innings — a no-ball — and was caught behind off Kemar Roach, and on 14, West Indies captain Darren Sammy spilled a second low chance at second slip off Ravi Rampaul.

Taufiq was one in the third over, when he edged Roach to first slip, where Darren Bravo muffed a straightforward chance, and on 13, edged the same bowler to second slip, where Sammy put him down.

The two openers made the most of their opportunities however, with Taufiq getting into his stride, when he added insult to injury, punching a delivery in Roach’s second over through mid-on for his first boundary.

Hafeez got off the mark in the following over, when he pulled a short, rising delivery from Rampaul through mid-wicket.

Taufiq followed up with two cracking off-side boundaries — a searing square cut through point, and a fluent drive through mid-off — in Roach’s third over, which ended with a well-timed off-drive for four by Hafeez.Taufiq continued to rub salt into Roach’s wounds in the fast bowler’s fourth over, when he drove the fast bowler through mid-off, straight, and square for three more fours.

Hafeez also on-drove Rampaul for his third four, and Taufiq greeted Sammy’s medium-pace with a ferocious off-drive for his seventh boundary.

After a period of attrition, Taufiq drove Rampaul straight for his eighth four, as West Indies suffered a setback, when Sammy pulled up with a sore back, leaving the field after completing his third over.

Earlier, Pakistan were frustrated, as West Indies, starting the day on 184 for eight, put up some resistance thanks to their tail-enders.

Hafeez made the breakthrough however, when he trapped Roach lbw playing back and across for a career-best 29, following a valuable 60-run stand for the ninth wicket with Rampaul.

Saeed Ajmal, Pakistan’s most penetrative bowler in the brief series, brought the innings to a close, when Devendra Bishoo edged a forward defensive shot, and was caught at slip for one.

Hafeez was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers, finishing with a career-best three for 23 from eight overs, fellow off-spinner Saeed ended with three for 56 off 28.5 overs, and left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman captured two for 55 from 29 overs.

On Saturday, Marlon Samuels hit the top score of 57 for the home side, Darren Bravo made 24, and Ramnaresh Sarwan got 20, but many of the West Indies batsmen were undermined by the clever spin bowling from the visitors on a pitch, offering them sharp turn and generous bounce.

The visitors reduced West Indies to 94 for four at tea. The new ball pair of Tanvir Ahmed and Wahab Riaz removed openers Lendl Simmons and Kraigg Brathwaite for a second-ball duck and 15 respectively to slip catches, and Ajmal snared the prized scalp of Ramnaresh Sarwan, leaving West Indies wobbling on 54 for three.

Hafeez tormented the hosts with his part-time off-spin, grabbing Darren Bravo caught second slip.

After tea, the Pakistan spinners continued the demolition job, when Hafeez struck in the third full over after tea, when left-hander Brendan Nash was caught at slip for six.

Rehman trapped Carlton Baugh Jr lbw for six, essaying a sweep, a decision he unsuccessfully had reviewed, to tighten Pakistan’s grip.

The Pakistanis were held up by a stand of 37 between Samuels and Sammy that stemmed the tide before Rehman ended the stand, when the West Indies captain was caught inside the long-off boundary for 16.

Saeed then removed Samuels, whose 50 came from 117 balls, when he had him caught low down at long-off.—AFP