February 11, 2002	Monday	Ziqa’ad 27, 1422

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SHARJAH (UAE), Feb 10: Pakistan captain Waqar Younis grabbed 4-44 on his way to joining the 350-wicket club to lead a 244-run rout of the West Indies in the second cricket Test here Sunday.

Set an improbable victory target of 434, the West Indians paid for poor batting and two dubious umpiring decisions to be shot out for 189 at the stroke of stumps on the fourth day.

Pakistan, who won the first Test by 170 runs, swept the two-match series that was shifted to this desert venue after the West Indies declined to play in Pakistan due to security reasons.

Waqar, the 78-Test veteran paceman, ended the series with 352 wickets, becoming the third Pakistani after Wasim Akram (414) and Imran Khan (362) to reach the landmark.

All-rounder Abdur Razzaq chipped in with 3-33 as the beleaguered West Indies lost their last five wickets for 28 runs to crash to a 23rd defeat in their last 27 overseas Tests.

Pakistan, enjoying a first innings lead of 208, made 225-5 in their second knock when Waqar declared three overs after lunch.

In the absence of three top batsmen, including the injured Brian Lara, few expected the West Indies to set a world record and successfully chase the fourth innings target of 434.

The highest a team has scored batting last to win was 406-4 made by India against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in 1976.

But the inexperience of the top-order and critical umpiring decisions diffused any slim hopes the West Indians may have entertained on a good batting wicket.

Waqar struck in his second over, trapping Chris Gayle leg-before to pick up his 349th Test wicket.

It should have been wicket number 350 two overs later when Wavell Hinds edged an outswinger to third slip, but Shahid Afridi spilled the comfortable waist-high catch.

The score moved to 46-1 when Darren Ganga (21) was given out leg-before by Australian umpire Darrell Hair even though television replays showed Shoaib Akhtar’s ball clearly missing the leg-stump.

One run later, biggger tragedy struck the West Indies when captain Carl Hooper, who top-scored with an unbeaten 84 in the first innings, was declared leg-before off Saqlain Mushtaq.

Replays indicated the ball pitched outside the off-stump and turned only marginally, but Pakistani umpire Shakeel Khan raised his finger as soon as the bowler appealed.

Wavell Hinds appeared to battle it out, making 34 when he was deceived by Saqlain’s straight ball and edged a catch to subsitute wicket-keeper Taufiq Umer.

Taufiq was standing in temporarily for Rashid Latif, who was hit on the forehand by a ball from Danish Kaneria which bounced off Hinds’ pads.

Ryan Hinds hit 46 and Ridley Jacobs an unbeaten 35 to prolong the innings, before Waqar and Razzaq ran through the tail to seal Pakistan’s victory.

Earlier, resuming at their overnight score of 130-1, Pakistan lost three quick wickets in the morning session which ended with Waqar’s men on 204-4 in their second knock.

Yousuf Youhana remained unbeaten on 52 when Waqar declared soon after lunch.

The stands, virtually empty during the first Test and the previous three days of this match, came alive Sunday morning with the presence of 1,500 school-chidren drawn from Sharjah and nearby Dubai.

The children were given free entry for the morning session by organisers hoping to attract spectators for the first Test series at this venue.

Pakistan and the West Indies will play three One-day Internationals here Thursday, Friday and Sunday.