by Craig Cozier

MULTAN, Pakistan – West Indies must be growing tired of the broad bat of Mohammad Yousuf, after the right-hander hit a determined 191 yesterday to ensure a comfortable draw for Pakistan in the second Test.

The home team resumed the fifth and final day on 213 for two, and they were severely tested by a concerted West Indian push for victory before finishing 461 for seven.

The visitors snared three wickets in the opening session to lift hopes of a series-levelling victory. But Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq shared a sixth-wicket partnership of 152 in just under three hours to guide their team to safety.

West Indies dropped Yousuf crucially just before lunch and had a few other near misses that didn't help their cause.

Yousuf, following up his 192 in the first Test at Lahore, struck 22 fours off 344 balls in just over seven hours. It was the 32-year-old's 21st Test century and his seventh for the year.

All-rounder Razzaq, his place in the side under threat, enjoyed himself towards the end in compiling 80 off 117 balls.

Unorthodox left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed, who dismissed Razzaq and Yousuf as the match drifted to its tame conclusion, took three for 101.

Main threat

But the main threat was provided by the pace trio of Jerome Taylor, Corey Collymore, and Daren Powell.

Taylor, again fast and direct, took two for 75 from 25 overs; Powell, whose spell just before lunch was outstanding, earned one for 47 from 20 overs; and Collymore, as he has done throughout this series, beat the bat on numerous occasions without reward in 28 overs that cost 66.

It was the spin of Mohammed and Chris Gayle that provided the first test, as Yousuf and Imran Farhat resumed the innings with 14 overs to the second new ball.

Gayle should have got the breakthrough, but a low chance to silly point from Farhat was not accepted by Daren Ganga.

It was not to prove costly as, two balls later, the left-hander was run out for 76 after a terrible tug-of-war with Yousuf on a possible single to backward point.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul's diving stop and rapid return found Farhat yards short, as he finally turned back. The left-hander hit nine fours off 231 deliveries.

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq joined Yousuf just as the second new ball arrived, and Taylor and Collymore provided a stern examination which Inzamam ultimately failed.

The burly right-hander, in front of his home crowd, perished for the second time in the match to a wicked outswinger from Taylor. In the first innings, he guided an edge to the wicket-keeper. This time, he was squared up and was plumb lbw for 10.

By then, Yousuf had comfortably notched his century, his fifth in seven Tests against West Indies, with a confident pull for his 13th boundary.

Aggressive spell

Powell replaced Taylor and kept the pressure up with an equally aggressive spell.

His third over should have ended Yousuf's resistance at 108, but first a very confident lbw shout was turned down by umpire Daryl Harper, and second, a flying edge was grassed at second slip by Runako Morton.

Powell got a deserved wicket just before the interval when Shoaib Malik's back foot defensive stroke rolled off the face of the bat onto the stumps.

Pakistan went to the break on 308 for five, still only ahead by 74 and with the match still in the balance.

But the ball was now 23 overs old and on a pitch which Inzamam admitted afterwards was "too much in favour of the batsmen", the victory pursuit was dulled by Yousuf and Razzaq.

The two batted through the second session with few alarms to condemn the match to a draw.

The spin of Mohammed and Gayle never played a part as the pitch remained as true as on Day One.

Yousuf and Razzaq eyed free runs in the final session, as captain Brian Lara and West Indies went through the motions.

Thus, it was poetic justice when both fell short of cheap landmarks.

Razzaq, who at least showed some enterprise in lashing a six and eight fours, miscued Mohammed to short mid-wicket.

Yousuf soon followed suit despite his more cautious approach.

Chanderpaul claimed both catches to make sure his 100th Test match ended on a high note.

Where justice was certainly not served was in the selection of Man-Of-The-Match, as hometown hero Yousuf collected the award ahead of Lara.

The choice was left to the two coaches and match referee Roshan Mahanama, and Yousuf claimed the "split decision".

Quite how Mahanama and Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer put Yousuf's contribution ahead of Lara's scintillating double century will remain a mystery.

SCOREBOARD:

Pakistan, first innings, 357

West Indies, first innings, 591

Pakistan second innings

(Overnight 213 for two)

Mohammad Hafeez b Taylor 18

Imran Farhat run out 76

Younis Khan c Ramdin b Mohammed 56

Mohammad Yousuf c Chanderpaul

b Mohammed 191

Inzamam-ul-Haq lbw b Taylor 10

Shoaib Malik b Powell 4

Abdul Razzaq c Chanderpaul

b Mohammed 80

Kamran Akmal not out 2

Extras: (8b, 10lb, 3w, 3nb) 24

TOTAL: (for seven wickets) 461

Overs: 147.4. Batting time: 589 minutes.

Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-124, 3-243, 4-284, 5-306, 6-458, 7-461.

Did not bat: Shahid Nazir, Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria

Bowling: Jerome Taylor 25-4-75-2, Corey Collymore 28-9-66-0 (1nb), Chris Gayle 29-5-85-0 (1w), Daren Powell 20-6-47-1 (1nb, 1w), Dwayne Bravo 13-3-40-0 (1w), Dave Mohammed 27.4-4-101-3, Shivnarine Chanderpaul 2-0-9-0, Runako Morton 3-0-20-0 (1nb).

Umpires: Daryl Harper, Australia, and Mark Benson, England.

TV Umpire: Zameer Haider, Pakistan. Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama, Sri Lanka.

Toss: Won by Pakistan.

Result: Match drawn.

Series: Pakistan leads 1-0.

(AP)