Improved West Indies slow Pakistan's progress in second Test

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, February 8: The West Indies improved their display in the field to slow Pakistan's progress on the second morning of the second cricket Test here on Friday.

Having dropped four catches on the first day to allow Pakistan to pile up 344-3 by the close, Carl Hooper's men tightened up to keep their rivals down to 432-6 by lunch on the second day.

Pakistan, facing the second new ball from the start, managed just 88 runs from 34 overs in the extended morning session for the loss of three wickets after they appeared to be racing towards an impregnable total.

Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana, who resumed their stand of 72 for the fourth wicket, were separated in the day's fifth over.

Youhana, dropped first ball on Thursday, added 13 runs to his overnight score of 47 when he was bowled by the hard-working Mervyn Dillon.

Youhana, who hit 146 in the first Test which Pakistan won by 170 runs, made 60 in a run-a-minute stand of 92 with Younis.

Younis, 131 overnight, moved to a career-best 153 when an attempted pull shot off left-arm seamer Pedro Collins was top-edged to Daren Ganga at mid-off.

The Karachi right-hander hit 15 boundaries and a six during his seven-hour vigil, which surpassed his previous best of 149 against New Zealand at Auckland last year.

Wicket-keeper Rashid Latif, who made 150 in the first Test, managed only 16 before pulling leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine to Hooper at mid-wicket.

At lunch, Abdur Razzaq was batting on 33 while Saqlain Mushtaq was on three.

The normal two-hour session was extended by 30 minutes to accommodate an hour's lunch break for Friday Muslim prayers.