Record-breaker Yousuf leads push

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/sport1/hi/cricket/6158611.stm

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Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf set a record for the most Test runs in a year as the hosts neared victory and a 2-0 series success on day four of the third Test.

Yousuf passed Viv Richards' record of 1,710 runs against the West Indies in Karachi on his way to a ninth century this calendar year, also a record.

Having scored 102 in the first innings, Yousuf hit 124 and Mohammad Hafeez 104 before Pakistan declared on 399-6.

Chasing 444 to win, the West Indies lost both openers to finish on 39-2.

Chris Gayle played on from Umar Gul's second ball of the innings, and Daren Ganga was trapped lbw by Shahid Nazir to leave the tourists reeling ahead of the final day.

Those wickets capped a miserable day for the Windies, who found little assistance off the slow and low wicket of the National Stadium.

Hafeez and Yousuf added 149 runs for the third wicket after resuming on 130-2, with the latter enjoying some luck after being dropped by Ganga on 68.

606: DEBATE <a class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A17799132"> Yousuf is arguably the most accomplished batsman in Test cricket</a> VF <a class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/606/default.stm">606: Have your say</a>

When on 43, Yousuf surpassed the Pakistan record of most runs in a three-match series, set by former great Zaheer Abbas with 583 made against India in 1978, and he passed Richards' landmark with his 47th run.

Hafeez's patient innings was his second Test century while Inzamam-ul-Haq notched a much-needed unbeaten 58 before opting to declare and force the Windies to bat in the early-evening conditions.

And that decision paid dividends as Gayle and first-innings stalwart Ganga fell to leave the onus on Brian Lara (18no) to help snatch an unlikely victory on day five and save the three-match series.