Pakistan likely to win 1st home series in 4 years

The second and final cricket Test between Pakistan and New Zealand begins at the National Stadium from tomorrow (Wednesday) with only one thing uncertain - whether the match will last the scheduled five days.

Pakistan have already destroyed the New Zealanders mentally and physically by winning the three one-dayers and the first Test by a record an innings and 324 runs. And all indications are that the home side will also clinch first home series in four years.

Paceman Shoaib Akhtar has left terror in New Zealand minds with career-best six for 11 while Inzamam-ul-Haq made them sweat and toil under the tough hot Lahore conditions on way to scoring a magnificent 329 - the 10th highest individual score in the history of the game.

The top order, that showed flashes of brilliance against the hapless Kiwis, will be further strengthened by the return of the classy opener Saeed Anwar who will replace Shahid Afridi. And besides Shoaib, the new spin duo of Saqlain Mushtaq and Danish Kaneria have created all sorts of problems while sharing 10 wickets in the match between them.

However, all indications are that Danish will sit out and his place will be taken over by 104-Test veteran Wasim Akram. He has been included to exploit the morning and evening sessions which are ideal for swing bowling. Besides, it will also help Pakistan to take advantage of New Zealand's vulnerability against quality fast bowling.

The most satifsying aspect seen about Pakistan team has been the unity, understanding and harmony that has often lacked and led to the tag of under-achievers.

Skipper Waqar Younis has succeeded in infusing in the minds of his teammates that they were the best, evident from the fact that they now believe in their abilities.

Not to doubt the fighting abilities of the visitors, accustomed to playing without frontline players, they have Mount Everest to climb. But realistically speaking, the tourists' can only hope for a miracle and pray that Pakistan succumb to their unpredictability and inconsistency.

The Black Caps, whose injury list has grown even before the tour began, Tuesday knew that leg-spinner Brooke Walker was also out of the game because of a dislocated finger. They had arrived without Chris Cairns, Shane Bond, Shayne O'Connor and Dion Nash while Nathan Astle and Andre Adams suffered injuries that cut short their tour.

The attitude of New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming summmed up the mood of the camp when he refused to host a traditional pre-Test press conference.

"There is nothing to say. You guys know everything. The only latest thing is that Brooke Walker is out because of a dislocated finger in left hand," Fleming said in a brief statement while reflecting that his team was down and out.

For New Zealand, the winless tour may not be a matter of concern in the backdrop of the situation and condition in which the series was being played.

Nevertheless, for Pakistan, a clean sweep can serve the required tonic needed to raise the confidence of the players and bring stability in the team ahead of a back-breaking international season that will lead up to next year's World Cup in South Africa.

"The good performance in this series will help us a long way in terms of stability and confidence. The more we will win, the more we will start believing in ourselves," skipper Waqar Younis told reporters.

He added: "A victory in this series will make us a formidable unit that can challenge the supremacy of Australia. Then we have the tour to South Africa and these are the two series' I like to win desperately."

Pakistan are to host Australia for three Tests between Oct 1 and 24 while the tour to South Africa will run from Dec 1 to Jan 6. But Waqar was concentrating on the job in hand. "At the moment, the immediate assignment is to win the second Test and end the four-year defeat drought. "It is nice to be coming back to our happy hunting ground though the nightmare of the last Test here is still fresh in our memories." Pakistan lost their only Test here in 44 games in December 2000 when England won.

For West Indian Steve Bucknor it will be a special day tomorrow. as he will become the umpire to supervize the highest number of Tests - 67. "It is going to be another Test for me. I am still enjoying the sport," he said, adding: "My most memorable Test was in 1998 at Melbourne where England won on a day on which there was more than eight hours of play because we had to cover for the time lost on the first day and then for the slow over-rate on that day."

Pakistan (likely) - Saeed Anwar, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis (captain), Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar. Reserves: Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Sami.

New Zealand (likely) - Matthew Horne, Mark Richardson, Lou Vincent, Stephen Fleming (captain), Chris Harris, Craig McMillan, Roobie Hart, Daniel Vettori, Daryl Tuffey, Chris Martin, Scott Styris. Reserves: Matthew Sinclair, Brooke Walker, Ian Butler.

Umpires - Steve Bucknor (West Indies), Rudi Koertzen (South Africa).

TV Umpire - Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan).

Match referee - Mike Procter (South Africa).