Pakistan lose their grip on the test

Karachi, Dec 8: Pakistan let England off the hook in the third and final cricket Test when they failed to capitalize on their overnight position of strength to be dismissed for 405 on the second day of the third and final Test at the National Stadium here on Friday.

Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for 82 runs after resuming this morning at 292 for three to surrender an opportunity of posting a mammoth first innings total and putting the tourists under psychological pressure.

England, who started their reply almost half-an-hour before tea, finished the day's play at 78 for one with Michael Atherton unbeaten on a confident but attractive 43. With him was skipper Nasser Hussain on 13 who came out to bat after Imran Nazir took a blinder at gully off Waqar Younis to dismiss Marcus Trescothick.

Pakistan's trademark inconsistency lingered which increased the prospects of yet another high scoring draw against the tourists. The wicket had no demons. In fact, it looked featherbed for batsmen and it was a case of poor stroke selection that led to the downfall of almost all the batsmen.

Unfortunately that has been the story all through the series despite the fact that country's most successful batsman is the coach of the team. One wonders what guidance the batsmen are getting from Javed Miandad as there has been some individual brilliance in the series but no collective effort. This Test is a case in point in which Inzamam scored 142 and Youhana contributed 117 to be the only big run-getters.

The discipline was missing, application and concentration were factors which appeared nonexistent watching Pakistan batters. Until these crucial points come into play in Pakistan batting, the present scenario would continue and Pakistan would win game here and there but never be in the same bracket as of Australia.

England left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, who was hit out for 52 off his 15 wicketless overs on the first day, captured four cheap wickets to finish as the tourists most successful bowler with four for 94. He probably would have added more had Michael Atherton, Graham Thorpe and Marcus Trescothick not dropped catches off his bowling.

Saqlain Mushtaq and Waqar Younis, who were the beneficiaries, later found their stumps uprooted by Darren Gough. The Yorkshireman was rewarded for his untiring efforts on an unsupportive track with three for 82 from 27.4 overs.

Pakistan's main hopes of a big first innings total rested on the shoulders of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana who had played brilliantly last evening to finish unbeaten at 123 and 104 respectively.

But both the stroke-makers fell to over-adventurous shots. Yousuf Youhana, who was first to go, hit a Giles losener back to the bowler who brought off an eyecatching one-handed reflex action catch low on his weaker arm.

Two runs later, Inzamam perished to a casual drive off Craig Whites' first delivery of the day to leave Trescothick hold a good.

The dismissal of the two batsmen pressed the panic button in the Pakistan camp as the batsmen came in and returned as if they were in a hurry. There seemed to be no purpose behind their batting.

Moin Khan created some hunky dory in the field with his nudges, pushes and quick running between the wickets. But then he attempted a delicate push against the spin one too many and found the leading edge to be caught by Graeme Hick at midon.

Shahid Afridi's lucky survival in this Test in a spate of failures lasted just 14 deliveries when he made a fool of himself by offering no stroke to a straight delivery from Giles and finding the red cherry shattering the furniture behind him. Afridi's dismissal was a perfect example of the lack of technique of the Pakistan batsmen who actually don't know where their off-stump is when they bat which consequently lead to their dismissals behind wickets or in leg before wickets.

Abdur Razzaq was unfortunate to be caught in the first slip when an attempted cut off Giles deflected from Alec Stewart's gloves and Nasser Hussain showed sharp reflexes in the slip to hold a difficult catch.

Inzamam batted for six hours during which he received 257 deliveries out of which 22 disappeared into the fences. Youhana faced 242 balls during his 313 minutes vigil in the centre. He struck 14 boundaries and a six.

Pakistan added 88 runs in an extended 150-minute first session because of Friday prayers.