Hope 90, Yasir six-for leaves second Test in the balance

Yasir Shah continued to have his way against the West Indies batsmen on thefourth day of the second Test at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Wednesday (May 3), picking up 6 for 90 to give Pakistan a sniff of victory going into the final day.

Despite a patient, career-best 90 from Shai Hope and his half-century partnerships with Roston Chase and Vishaul Singh, West Indies slipped from 235 for 4 to 264 for 9 at stumps, 183 ahead after Pakistan responded to the home side’s first-innings total of 312 with 393.

On a last-day pitch, Pakistan might still find a target of around 200 a challenging one as it seeks to win its first Test in Barbados and first Test series win in the Caribbean.

Hope appeared to have blunted the Yasir threat with more than five hours of batting, but when he was within sight of a maiden Test century, he drove Yasir to cover where Azhar Ali held the catch.

The very next ball, Vishaul was on his way back, bowled off the inside edge by Mohammad Abbas for 32. Three wickets fell for one run when Younis Khan held his fifth catch of the match, a reflex effort at slip to remove Jason Holder off Yasir, who then sent back Shane Dowrich and Alzarri Joseph in quick succession just before the close, leaving Devendra Bishoo and Shannon Gabriel to carry the fight into the last day.

Hope came to the crease in the morning when Pakistan struck an early blow after West Indies resumed at 40 for 1, Mohammad Amir bowling Shimron Hetmyer before he could add to his overnight 22.

Kraigg Brathwaite batted resolutely in partnership with Hope, the two putting on 56 for the third wicket before Yasir removed Brathwaite for 43.

Fresh from a century in the first innings, Chase proved an able partner to Hope for the rest of the morning and then deep into the afternoon session, their fourth-wicket stand producing 58 runs when Chase was deceived by a flighted Yasir delivery to be caught-and-bowled for 23.