Inzi was the real difference: Vaughan

FAISALABAD—England Captain Michael Vaughan heaped praise on his Pakistan counterpart Inzamam-ul-Haq after the second test ended in a draw on Thursday.
Inzamam, whose lowest score so far in the series was 53 in the first innings of the opening test in Multan, was named man of the match after hitting two centuries in the same test for the first time in his career.
“Inzamam played two fantastic knocks and he was the difference between the two sides,” Vaughan told the after-match presentation ceremony.
England, who slumped to 20 for four after being set 285 to win, ended the match on 164 for six and Vaughan was pleased to escape with a draw.
“It’s always good to go to the last day of a test with all three results still possible,” he said. “We had to fight hard today but full credit to both teams.
“We really fought on that first day when we lost the toss. Pakistan put us under a lot of pressure by getting a decent score and we batted really well to get close to them.
“We are happy to get out of it (with a draw). We’re still 1-0 down going to the last test in Lahore but we’ll look to play a similar game and if we get a chance to win we’ll try to take it there.
“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”.
Inzamam was delighted after his tonne in the second innings broke Javed Miandad’s Pakistan record of 23 test centuries.
“This was a big test match for me because I broke Javed’s record,” he said.
“I am also very happy because the boys are playing really well. Sometimes we get into difficult positions but the team are very determined and they always fight back”.
Inzamam praised express fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who took five wickets on a flat pitch here.
“In both tests so far Shoaib has bowled really well,” said Inzamam. “He has worked really hard and has given more than 100 percent”.

—Agencies

Strauss set to fly back home

FAISALABAD—England opener Andrew Strauss will fly home on Friday to attend the impending birth of his first child. It means the 28-year-old will miss the final Test against Pakistan in Lahore but he is set to return for the one-day internationals, starting 10 December. An England spokesman said: “Strauss will miss the third Test as he will fly back home to be with his wife who is expecting their first child on Monday”. England could opt to play uncapped Alastair Cook as an opener on Tuesday. The 20-year-old Essex opener scored a double hundred in a tour match against Australia in the summer and although he was originally called up as cover for Michael Vaughan, Cook could make his Test debut. But England could move Vaughan back up the order to open the batting and bring back all-rounder Paul Collingwood. Strauss has struggled for form this series, after being the only player to score two centuries in the summer as England won the Ashes 2-1. In the two Tests in Pakistan Strauss has scored nine, 23, 12 and nought. He had always made it known he wanted to be with his wife Ruth in London. He said in October: “I have always believed there are some things in life that are more important than cricket. “This, for me, is one of them and the England management have been very supportive”. He is not the only played to miss matches for a child’s birth. Vaughan missed part of a Test against New Zealand at Headingley in 2004 to be at the birth of his first child, daughter Tallulah Grace.—Agencies