Pak, England determined to fight it out at Pindi
Harmison doubtful for today’s fixture - Tough security arrangements for last two ODIs
By M Bilal

RAWALPINDI—Pakistan and England prepared Sunday with a firm resolve to fight it out in the decisive fourth One-Day match to be played at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Monday. The Pakistan team, which already leads 2-1 in the five-match series, had a two-hour net session in the morning with skipper Inzamamul Haq emphasising immediately afterwards that his side would not get complacent and will go out to win the fourth match and hence the series. The two teams will meet in the fifth and last match of the rubber at the same venue on Wednesday. “Though we are down 1-2, our team is very much capable to storm back and level the series on Monday and take the battle right into the last match”, said England coach Duncan Fletcher.
From the look of things, toss is likely to play an important role in the match. “I reckon, it’s batting pitch though there will be problem of dew for the team batting second. As such, I will likely opt for batting should I win the toss”, Inzamam said. Duncan Fletcher also agreed in reply to a question that dew factor cannot be ignored. “Anyway, I want my team to play like they did in the first match of this series”, he emphasised.
England beat Pakistan by 42 runs in the first game at Qadaffi Stadium in Lahore but Pakistan bounced back with seven-wicket thrashing of the tourists at the same venue before taking a 2-1 lead in the series with a mammoth 165 runs triumph at National Stadium, Karachi. Having already won the three-Tests series 2-0, Pakistan seem to be on a roll and Duncan Fletcher admitted this much during his match-eve press conference. “We said at the very outset that this is going to be a difficult tour. Pakistan have so far played better — bowled better, batted better”, he said. “I must say that in India once, we were 1-3 down but squared the series at 3-3”, Fletcher pointed out.
He said his team was now missing three main players (Ashley Giles, Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen) while new-ball bowler Steve Harmison was also doubtful for Monday’s match as he had throat infection. To a question about the recall of fast bowler Darren Gough and hiring of a bowling coach, he said such matters didn’t occupy his mind at present. “Right now, I am concerned with how to win the next two one-day matches against Pakistan”. Pakistan skipper Inzamamul Haq observed that a team had to produce its best cricket in each one-day game. “We cannot get complacent despite a 2-1 lead as we have to give our best performance in each one-day match”, he said. Nevertheless, Inzamam said, his team would go all out for victory in the fourth match so that it doesn’t have to face unnecessary pressure in the fifth and last game at the same venue.
The pitch curator Muhammad Ashraf said that due to dew factor in this part of the country, the ball would get rough in the evening and hence assist the bowlers against the team batting second in the day-night match. Pakistan has so far won 11 of its 14 matches at this ground, including the match against England in 2000—the only time these teams have played here against each other. England could suffer another blow with paceman Steve Harmison a doubtful starter for Monday’s fourth one-day international against Pakistan because of the flu. “Harmison is not feeling too well, so we just have to monitor him through tomorrow. He was having flu and was feeling heavy,” said coach Duncan Fletcher after team practice here Sunday. The 27-year-old fast bowler, who took just two wickets in the three matches so far, skipped practice. With England trailing 2-1 in the five-match series, his absence will make their task even more difficult. They are already without regular captain Michael Vaughan and spinner Ashley Giles — both ruled out of the one-day series with injuries — and batsman Kevin Pietersen who returned home last week due to back and rib cage problems. Paceman Kabir Ali, still to play a game in the series, might be Harmison’s replacement. Fletcher said he wanted the team to match the attitude displayed in that first game. “We have just got to make sure we go and play the same way we did in the first game, show the same approach,” he said adding that England have staged fierce comebacks in previous series. “We have just got to be very positive to win,” he said. Fletcher admitted Pakistan has played well during the whole tour. “We have said all along that it will be a difficult tour. Pakistan are a talented side and they played well and at the end of the day we have to just accept that they batted well and bowled well,” said Fletcher. The fifth and final match will also be played in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.
Rawalpindi District Administration (RDA) has made stringent arrangements for the security of the cricket teams for the remaining two limited over games to be played here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Monday and Wednesday respectively. Special pickets have been established at Murree Road, Double Road (Stadium Road) and Hamza camp. “No one will be allowed to enter the Double Road towards the stadium without a ticket,” Syed Morwat Ali Shah, Deputy Inspector General Police of Rawalpindi Range told reporters. He informed that the “Double Road will remain close for all types of traffic on December 19 and 21. Hockey ground will be used for parking”, he added. The DIG said 3,500 security officials would perform their duties in and around the stadium. “Women police will also be deputed to carry out the search of the women cricket fans”. He said cameras; mobile phones, umbrellas and water bottles would not be allowed in the stadium. Pakistan and England are playing the last two back-to-back one-day internationals of the five-match series. Both the matches will be played at the Pindi Stadium on December 19 and 21. Pakistan Leading the series 2-1 after their victories in second and third ODIs. After losing the first, Pakistan won the second in Lahore by seven wickets and third in Karachi by 165 runs.