PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Kavem Hodge’s unbeaten half-century has put West Indies in the driver’s seat against Pakistan after day one of the historic first Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy here on Saturday. Hodge wrote his name in history’s pages, becoming the first batter to score a half-century at Test cricket’s newest venue, with his 83 not out carrying West Indies to 194 for three on a rain-affected day that saw only 67 overs being bowled. Together with Shai Hope, who is not out on 39, they shared an unbroken partnership of 88 runs after coming together with the Windies in a tricky position at 106 for three.
The home side endured a nervy start to their innings after Captain Roston Chase won the toss and elected to bat, with openers Brandon King and Tagenarine Chanderpaul only mustering 13 runs from the first eight overs. That pressure eventually told when King chopped a wide delivery from medium pacer Mohammad Abbas on to his stumps to be dismissed for 12. With the score 23 for one after 14 overs, heavy showers forced the players off the ground, with lunch taken as result.
On resumption, Chanderpaul and Hodge scored at a much faster rate during a 51-run partnership for the second wicket that took the home side to 64 for one. Hodge was quick to dispatch anything short or wide, highlighted by a magnificent pull of Abbas that raced away to the square leg boundary. Chanderpaul’s laboured innings of 21 off 77 balls eventually came to an end when he edged a wide delivery from Aamer Jamal straight into the hands of second slip where Salman Agha took a regulation catch.
Hodge continued to be positive, hitting Jamal for two consecutive boundaries that carried him to 39. Hodge and Amir Jangoo looked good during a 42-run stand, until Jangoo missed a straight delivery from Abbas and was plumb lbw for 21 to make the score 106 for three. His dismissal brought Hope to the crease, and he immediately showed signs of discomfort in the area of his left shoulder — an injury that kept him out of the opening Test against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
However, after receiving medical assistance from the team’s physiotherapist, Hope settled down and showed no further signs of unease. Hodge eventually brought up his fourth Test half-century off 86 balls by driving spinner Ali Usman to the boundary as the pair took the Windies to the tea break at 127 for three to lea…
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