Red-Racers Forum » is changed.AMAZING ARMSAs part of its 40th s

Match factsSunday, October 30, Sharjah Start time 10am local (0600 GMT)Big picturePakistan have already won the series, after taking a 2-0 lead with their victory in Abu Dhabi, but the final Test in Sharjah presents them with an opportunity to set some benchmarks. In their sights is a sixth series whitewash, and a chance to complete a clean sweep of West Indies: 3-0 in the Tests, to go with 3-0 in the ODIs and 3-0 in the T20 internationals. Misbah-ul-Haq is also set to lead Pakistan for the 49th time in Tests, and pass Imran Khan as the countrys most-capped captain. Little did anyone think he would come this far - Misbah is 42 years old now - when he was appointed captain in 2010, and success in Sharjah would be an occasion for more celebratory push-ups.West Indies were not easily beaten in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. They pushed each Test into the fifth day and made Pakistan bowl more than 100 overs in the fourth innings before the game was up. There were heartening performances from Darren Bravo, Devendra Bishoo, Shannon Gabriel and Jermaine Blackwood, but West Indies wait for victory continues despite having arrived in the UAE about 40 days ago.Jason Holders young team will hope they can end a couple of longer waits too. West Indies have not won a Test since May 2015, and the last time they won one outside the Caribbean and Bangladesh was in December 2007, against South Africa in Port Elizabeth. The Sharjah fixture is West Indies last chance to perform creditably in Test cricket for a while; their next series is only in March 2017, when they host Pakistan.Form guidePakistan WWWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)West Indies LLDLDIn the spotlightAfter taking ten wickets in Dubai, West Indies legspinner Devendra Bishoo managed only one in Abu Dhabi despite bowling 46 overs in the second Test. Misbah had said those conditions were extremely tough for wicket-taking, but Sharjah offers a bit more turn and Bishoo will want to ensure that eight-for isnt his only fond memory of the series. Sarfraz Ahmeds 56 in Abu Dhabi was his first half-century in 15 innings, and his consistency with the bat has been a talking point lately. Sharjah was the venue where Sarfraz kick-started his Test career with 48 off 46 balls in an astonishing chase of 302 against Sri Lanka in 2014, and he will hope to rediscover strong batting form over the next five days.Team newsMisbah hinted at changes in Pakistans XI and it is understood that left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar may make way for an extra fast bowler. Sohail Khan may also miss the game to give a younger quick a chance.Pakistan (probable) 1 Sami Aslam, 2 Azhar Ali, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah ul Haq (capt), 5 Asad Shafiq, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Imran Khan, 11 Sohail KhanWest Indies wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich was declared fit and is likely to return to the XI. Fast bowler Miguel Cummins, who took only one wicket in the first two Tests, is likely to make way for Alzarri Joseph.West Indies 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Leon Johnson, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Shane Dowrich (wk), 8 Jason Holder (capt), 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Shannon GabrielPitch and conditionsSharjah is much hotter than Abu Dhabi and Dubai were and temperatures are forecast to hit 33-34C. The pitch appears flat and is likely to offer assistance to the spinners only towards the end of the Test.Stats and triviaPakistan have played four Tests in Sharjah since 2010. They drew one and won one against Sri Lanka, lost to New Zealand, and beat England.None of the present Pakistan batsmen average over 45 in Sharjah. Misbahs 43 is the best of the lot. Younis Khan averages 34 and Azhar Ali 31 here.Yasir Shahs 11 wickets at this venue have come at 30 apiece.QuotesEvery Test win has value in term of ranking, confidence level, so its important for us to try to win this game as well.Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq emphasises that there are no dead rubbers in Test cricketPeople forget this is a very, very young side. When you look at the number of players under 25, it is unbelievable that a side in Test cricket could be so young. But its a good thing and once the people of the Caribbean and the selectors remain patient, I think weve got the making of a pretty decent side in 12 to 18 months.West Indies bowling coach Roddy Estwick is hopeful about the futureAdidas Stan Smith NZ . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. Adidas Shoes NZ .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. http://www.wholesalestansmithnz.com/ . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. Wholesale Adidas Shoes NZ . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. Cheap Adidas Running Shoes NZ . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead.TORONTO -- Troy Tulowitzki is the newest member of Torontos 20-homer club.Tulowitzki and Russell Martin hit back-to-back home runs, Marcus Stroman pitched 6 1/3 innings to win for the first time in four starts and the Blue Jays beat the Houston Astros 9-2 on Sunday.Tulowitski joined Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Donaldson and Michael Saunders as Blue Jays with 20 or more home runs. Toronto and Baltimore are the only teams in the majors to boast four hitters with 20 or more homers.Thats what we do best, manager John Gibbons said.Toronto has hit 166 home runs this season, second to Baltimore, which has hit 176.Encarnacion hit his 33rd home run, a solo blast off Luke Gregerson, as the Blue Jays won for the eighth time in 10 meetings with the Astros. Encarnacion is second in homers in the majors, behind Baltimores Mark Trumbo, who has 34.Containing Torontos powerful bats proved too much for the Astros, who dropped two of three to the AL East leaders.They never let up, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of the Blue Jays. Their offense is pretty potent when it gets going.Toronto (67-51) is a season-best 16 games above .500.Tulowitzki went 3-for-4 with three RBI. He hit an RBI single in the first, singled and scored in the fourth, and homered in the fifth.Martin followed with a first-pitch blast off Mike Fiers. It was the seventh time this season Toronto has hit consecutive home runs.First-pitch changeup, Fiers said. It seemed like he was sitting on it.Martin also made the defensive play of the game, leaning into Houstons first base dugout to catch Alex Bregmans foul pop-up in the seventh.For a catcher, thats as good an opportunity youre going to get to make a nice play, Martin said. It felt good for sure.Stroman (9-5) allowed two runs, one earned, and five hits to win for the first time since July 20 at Arizona.Carlos Correa had three hits and Jason Castro hit a solo home run for the Astros, who lost their second straight following a four-game win streak.American League batting leader Jose Altuve went 0-forr-4 and failed to reach safely for the first time in 44 road games.dddddddddddde often go the way he goes, Hinch said. Im sure everybody in the ballpark is pretty surprised when he doesnt get on base.Astros first baseman Marwin Gonzalez was hit on the left knee by a pitch from Stroman in the second. Gonzalez stayed in to run the bases but was replaced by Tyler White in the bottom of the inning. X-rays were negative and Gonzalez is day to day.He didnt feel like he could move around at full speed so I pulled him, Hinch said.In the third, Encarnacion was hit on the left hand by a pitch from Fiers. He remained in the game. He doubled and scored in the fifth, then homered in the seventh.Fiers (8-6) allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander has surrendered five home runs in his past two outings.They made me pay in that one inning, Fiers said. A couple of swings and the game is changed.AMAZING ARMSAs part of its 40th season celebrations, the Blue Jays honored seven former pitchers in a pre-game ceremony. Dave Stieb and former Cy Young award winners Pat Hentgen and Roy Halladay all threw out ceremonial first pitches.CANADIAN CLUBBERSMartin and Michael Saunders (20) are the second pair of Canadian teammates to hit 10 or more home runs in a season. The first to do it were Corey Koskie (25) and Justin Morneau (19) for Minnesota in 2004.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: OF Jake Marisnick (right groin) missed his fourth straight game. Marisnick could return Tuesday against St. Louis. Houston is off Monday.UP NEXTAstros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (7-11, 4.56) faces Cardinals LHP Jamie Garcia (9-8, 3.93) on Tuesday. Keuchel pitched a three-hitter against Texas on Aug. 5.Blue Jays: Toronto opens a three-game series in New York against the Yankees on Monday. RHP R.A Dickey (8-12, 4.61) starts against RHP Chad Green (1-2, 4.94). Dickey has a 7.61 ERA in his past five starts. ' ' '