Lara belts 156 as Windies wallop Pakistan attack by AFP

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Ground:	Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Scorecard:	Pakistan v West Indies
Player:	BC Lara, S Chanderpaul, CH Gayle
Event:	VB Series 2004/05

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DateLine: 28th January 2005

 

Skipper Brian Lara returned to his brilliant best here, blasting 156 runs as the West Indies amassed 339-4 in their tri-series match against Pakistan.

 

Playing in his 250th limited overs international at the Adelaide Oval here on Friday, Lara clocked up his 19th one-day century and his fifth against Pakistan off 138 balls, smacking five huge sixes and 12 fours.

 

After a scratchy start to his innings, Lara put his foot on the gas, bringing up his third 50 in just 17 minutes off 19 balls as he humiliated the woeful Pakistan attack.

 

The West Indian total was the highest for a one-day match at the Adelaide Oval, beating the previous best of 329 for 5 set by Australia against India in 2000.

 

Lara, together with left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul, provided the backbone as the Windies stood tall in their hour of crisis, with a partnership of 187 runs on a slow batting wicket.

 

The pair carried the Windies from a tentative 56 for 2 following two early hiccups after being sent in to bat.

 

Opener Chris Gayle was bowled by Iftikhar Anjum for just nine, while his partner Ricardo Powell, standing in for Wavell Hinds who was moved down the order, was trapped lbw by Rana Neved-ul-Hasan for 23.

 

Chanderpaul and Lara then set about putting the West Indies on top. Their partnership started patchily with neither batsman able to find their timing or rhythm.

 

Lara's first 50 took 81 balls and it was the almost the 40th over before the pair started to really accelerate the run-rate.

 

Chanderpaul reached 85 off 92 balls before he was caught by Mohammad Hafeez off Shahid Afridi as the pair tried to step up the tempo in the 43rd over.

 

Lara was fortunate when on 97 when Afridi missed a simple caught and bowled opportunity. He was later also dropped in the field while on 143.

 

The big score was a much-needed tonic for the West Indies, who are fighting a do-or-die battle with Pakistan for the right to play Australia in the best-of-three finals series.

 

Although the Windies had shown plenty of form in two qualifying matches against Australia, they were still without a win going into Friday's match and trailed Pakistan by two points.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)