Windies out of final

Yousuf Youhana struck his 11th one-day century as Pakistan beat West Indies by 30 runs in Perth to progress to the VB Series final against Australia.

Youhana made 105 off 100 balls and put on 134 with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq (74) as Pakistan totalled 307-8.{{more}}

West Indies lost Chris Gayle early but Ramnaresh Sarwan (87) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (58) kept them in the hunt.

The task proved beyond them, however, as Naved-ul-Hasan took 4-29 and they were all out for 277 in the 49th over.

West Indies skipper Brian Lara won the toss and opted to field first, but his decision backfired as their support bowling proved inadequate.

Paceman Reon King went for 60 from his 10 overs and Wavell Hinds and Chris Gayle, who bowled five each, conceded a combined total of 95 runs.

Pakistan’s total also benefitted from 19 wides sent down by their opponents.

Only Ian Bradshaw emerged with credit, dismissing openers Salman Butt (19) and Kamran Akmal (17) in his first spell and later bowling Shahid Afridi, who hit two sixes in his 23 off 10 balls, for figures of 3-47.

The key phase of Pakistan’s innings came when Inzamam joined Youhana in the middle at 90-3 after Yasir Hameed had been bowled by King for 24.

Their partnership could have been cut short, however, with Youhana twice lucky to avoid being run out on 15 as throws by Ricardo Powell and Bravo missed the stumps.

Inzamam struck 10 fours in his 67-ball innings before he was bowled by Bravo with the total on 224.

But Youhana progressed safely to his hundred and had steered the total to 300 before he was run out with three balls of the innings remaining.

It took Hasan only three deliveries to make inroads into the West Indies top order as Gayle edged a catch to keeper Akmal.

But the response from Powell and Sarwan was a flurry of shots which saw them add 67 in 10 overs.

Powell was then caught behind off Hasan for 23 and West Indies suffered a body blow when Lara, on 19, hit left-armer Mohammad Khalil to Iftikhar Anjum.

Sarwan and Chanderpaul held their nerve as they shared a stand of 95 but Pakistan regained the initiative when they departed in successive overs.

Sarwan was stumped as he tried to hoist Shahid Afridi over the leg-side field and Chanderpaul was caught by Inzamam off Anjum.

Wavell Hinds made 30 before he holed out to Inzamam at long-off.

And when Bravo was bowled by Afridi for one, it was left to Courtney Browne and Bradshaw to try and repeat the batting heroics which brought victory over England in last year’s Champions Trophy final.

Hasan had other ideas, bowling Bradshaw for a duck with an inswinging delivery as he played across the line and producing another good one to dismiss Browne for 36 and bring the game to an end.