Inzamam gives Pakistan a winning total

By Ted Corbett

MANCHESTER, JUNE 3. Another majestic innings from Inzamam-ul-Haq, out 15 short of a second century, gave Pakistan a winning total on the fourth day of the second Test against England at Old Trafford. Now it is for bowlers' turn and if they can reproduce yesterday's eight wickets for 75, Pakistan will draw this series against a side, who has lost its captain Nasser Hussain and a portion of its self-belief.

It is as well that this series is coming to an end. The match referee Brian Davidson of New Zealand has had to warn both sides after an exchange of views between Andrew Caddick, Rashid Latif and Azhar Mahmood; the noise from the scoreboard gathering of the Pakistan faithful was threatening all day despite a growing police presence; and there are even reports of bookmakers ready to corrupt the match and so scaring Lord Paul Condon and his inquisitors who have told the players to beware.

You may be shocked to learn that ICC will not be sending in the SAS, but will wait until its June 17 meeting to discuss all the various forms of match-fixing. Three more Tests and there might be open warfare. Lets have the peace and quiet of an Ashes tussle instead.

Few men have looked more likely to score a hundred from the moment they arrived at the crease than Inzamam. Last night he pottered to 25 with the air of a gardener preparing plants for winter germination; today he gathered in the fruit of those labours. A half pace forward and he drove Darren Gough to the pavilion gates, a sway on to the back foot and he pulled Caddick to the same spot from the other end.

Colin Cowdrey and Majid Khan came to mind by his economy of effort and although he needed nearly four and a half hours for his 85 he had no need to hurry and he was never boring. At 204, when Pakistan was already 250 ahead, he played a lazy shot at Matthew Hoggard's inswinger and was caught at short mid- wicket where England had Marcus Trescothick waiting for the chance to put right Nick Knight's drop at slip when Inzamam was 33.

He so dominated the fourth wicket stand of 141 with Youssuf Youhana that the smaller man only came into the picture when his quick shouts got Inzamam out of trouble as he attempted yet another daft rush down the pitch. Life seems to be no fun to Inzamam unless he is engaged in a suicidal run. What a pity that this great cricketer will be partly remembered for his inability to judge a single and too many helpings of dal chawan, the favourite food of Multan man.

Youhana lasted only another six balls - so maintaining the belief that one wicket always brings two for the second time in this match after Graham Thorpe and Michael Vaughan partnership ended in successive overs yesterday - before he was caught, if that is the right word, at first slip off his helmet at 208 for five. He was Caddick's fifth victim of the match and Azhar Mahmood his sixth, hitting across the line and the first batsman to be bowled on this benign strip.

Younis Khan, caught on the crease was lbw but Wasim Akram celebrated his 35th birthday with successive fours off Caddick, who claims a few words of Urdu. However he seems to have forgotten how to say ``Many Happy Returns.'' A temporary lapse no doubt. Perhaps he will have mugged up on ``Congratulations and well played'' if Waqar Younis leads his men to victory tomorrow night. By tea Pakistan led by 320, but showed no inclination to declare. It seem to have lost self-belief too.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : It's Indians' day all the way
Next     : Indians' highest score in Zimbabwe