|
England escape valiantly with draw in 2nd Test
Pakistani pacers again rip through England batting
From Our Correspondent
FAISALABAD—England hung on for a draw on an exciting final day of the
second test on Thursday after a superb exhibition of fast bowling from
Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naved put Pakistan in with a chance of victory.
Pakistan were boosted early in the day by Inzamam-ul-Haq’s 24th test
hundred which effectively ended England’s chance of a victory. The draw
keeps England’s hopes of levelling the series alive at 1-0 down with one
test to play.
England were set an improbable target of 285 to win and after collapsing
to 20 for four under a barrage of short balls from Shoaib and some
cunning bowling from Naved, dug in to reach 164 for six when bad light
ended play.
Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell all fell for ducks and
captain Michael Vaughan for nine as Shoaib, who finished with 3-61, and
Naved (3-30) took two wickets apiece.
But up stepped Ashes heroes Andrew Flintoff (56) and Kevin Pietersen
(42) to rescue England from their horrible start.
Pakistan’s hopes of a win were rekindled when Pietersen, who scored 100
in the first innings, fell just before tea brilliantly caught at short
leg by substitute Asim Kamal and England went into the break on 107 for
five.
But Flintoff, who had put on 80 with Pietersen, then added 38 with Jones
before falling with an hour remaining in the day when he swung at a
short ball from Shoaib which hit his gloves and went straight to
substitute Hasan Raza at point.
Plucky Geraint Jones (30 not out) and an obdurate Ashley Giles (13)
shared a seventh wicket stand of 26 runs to see out the day, which ended
16 overs early in fading light.
Pakistan, who won the first test in Multan by 22 runs, resumed the day
on 183-6 with England still harbouring outside hopes of a victory if
they could rattle through the home side’s tail.
But Inzamam turned his overnight 41 not out into his second hundred of
the match in the morning and Pakistan declared their second innings on
268 for nine just before lunch.
Inzamam, who became Pakistan’s top century maker with 24 hundreds, hit
nine fours and a six in his 134 balls to set England an huge victory
target and enable his bowlers to put some pressure on the English
batsmen.
“Inzamam played two fantastic knocks and he was the difference between
the two sides,” said England captain Michael Vaughan.
The series now moves on to Lahore for the second test from Nov 29, which
England must win to save the series.
“The cricket is tough for us out here but we are enjoying our time and
hopefully in Lahore there will be one result, an England win, and it
will be 1-1,” Vaughan added. |