Test heads for draw after Pakistan avoid the follow-on

A draw appears to be the inevitable outcome of the First Test, which enters its final day tomorrow on the slow, lifeless wicket at Lahore.

It is not the result that England will deserve after their splendid effort but a defiant, unbroken ninth-wicket stand between Yousuf Youhana and Saqlain Mushtaq not only ensured that Pakistan avoided the follow-on, but also reduced England's first innings lead to 147 by stumps.

England needed to take quick wickets when Pakistan resumed their innings on the fourth morning, but the overnight not out batsmen, Salim Elahi and Inzamam-ul-haq put on 98 before Elahi played-on to Craig White for 44.

Play had started half an hour early to make up for lost time the previous day. By the time Elahi was dismissed he had taken up two hours of what was valuable time for England in their quest for wickets.

It was White who achieved the breakthrough with only his second ball after he had come back for a second spell. Earlier Elahi was dropped by Nasser Hussain at silly-point.

Inzamam batted beautifully, playing fluent strokes that brought him nine boundaries in his 28th Test fifty, but he was out with the total on 203. He fell to Ashley Giles who spun one sharply away and on to his off-stump as he attempted to force the ball to leg against the spin.

White was brought on for a third spell and with his first ball, on the stroke of lunch, he had Qaiser Abbas held at gully for two as he chased one outside his off-stump. It has not been a happy debut for Abbas, who had dropped Graham Thorpe on two, a simple chance in the slips on the first day, only to see the batsman go on to hit a century.

After lunch, which was taken on 210 for five, Andy Caddick trapped Moin Khan lbw. An hour and 36 runs later, White struck for the third time with Abdur Razzaq padding up to a ball that was going on to his stumps.

When Giles had Wasim Akram taken at short mid-wicket from a half-hearted push, Pakistan were 273 for eight. Their last six wickets had gone for 74 and raised England's hopes of enforcing the follow-on.

But with just eight runs required to make England bat again, Youhana and Saqlain put on sixty runs to take Pakistan to 333 for eight. With Youhana compiling an unbeaten 77, of which 39 came in the last session with a combination of graft and stylish stroke-play, England's chances of forcing a victory tomorrow were gradually diminishing.

Craig White, successful with both bat and ball for England, said afterwards: "It was a good performance today. We pushed them to the limit. We need to get them out early in the morning - we need early wickets."

White added: "We would rather be in our position then theirs, but we are not going to get carried away. We'll just see what happens."