PROVIDENCE, Guyana (CMC):

All suggestions about Darren Sammy's place in the West Indies being shaky, and his position of captain being tenuous, were greatly rebuffed yesterday.

The West Indies captain took five wickets for the fourth time in a Test, as his side grabbed their first Test victory in two years, when they prevailed over Pakistan by 40 runs in the low-scoring first Test inside four days at the Guyana National Stadium.

Sammy finished with the impressive figures of five for 29 from 17 overs, ending with match figures of seven for 45, and earning the Man-of-the-Match award.

"Once I step on to the field wearing that West Indies cap, I give my heart and soul," he said.

"I know things have not been going too well for me lately, but I still had the self-belief to go out there and do well, and so did my teammates."

The victory meant that West Indies took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, killing Pakistan's dreams of their first-ever Test series victory on Caribbean soil.

The result also ended a sequence of 17 straight Tests for West Indies without a victory, stretching back to February 2009, when they crushed England by an innings and 23 runs at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

It was also Sammy's first victory since he was placed in charge of the side last November.

"This is all about West Indies cricket," said Sammy.

"We as a team needed this performance, this victory, and I can't stop commending the effort of the guys, every single person that batted on such a difficult pitch to put us in this position.

"It was a total team effort, and it was good to come out on the right side of the result for a change."

Ravi Rampaul supported Sammy in the second-innings demolition, finishing with four for 48 from 21 overs, ending a memorable Test with match figures of seven for 75.

"Every ball I bowled out there, I received support from everyone on the field, and I was able to feed off that. This is truly a great result for the West Indies team, and overall West Indies cricket."

The second Test begins on Friday at Warner Park in the St Kitts capital of Basseterre.