PAKISTAN v WEST INDIES 1986-87

Provided with a wicket that favoured their fast bowlers, West Indies levelled the series in three days. Ironically, they had omitted one of their pacemen, Patterson, in favour of the off-spinner, Butts, so going into a Test match with two specialist spin bowlers for the first time in 58 matches: such was the nature of the pitch, and the brittleness of Pakistan's batting against pace and unpredictable bounce, that they bowled one over between them. It was the briefest of respites.

For Pakistan, who won the toss and batted, Asif Mujtaba made his début in place of the injured Salim Malik. It was a fiery introduction, and he was to take 25 minutes getting his first run. Only Miandad, for three hours twelve minutes, had the class to survive long. West Indies also found batting difficult against the speed and spin combination of Imran and Qadir and owed much to Greenidge's skill and patience for a total in excess of 200. It was to prove enough, however; only 87 runs behind on first innings, Pakistan could not make West Indies bat a second time. Unlucky to lose Qasim Omar when he was struck on the face by a ball from Walsh, they were all out an hour after tea for 77, their second-lowest Test score and their lowest at home.

Man of the Match: M. D. Marshall.

Close of play: First day, West Indies 15-0 (C. G. Greenidge 9*, D. L. Haynes 6*); Second day, West Indies 185-7 (M. D. Marshall 3*, C. G. Butts 4*).