|
Mohammad Yousuf
keeps Pakistan in the Driver's Seat |
August 18, 2006 (Link to
Scorecard)
The second day's play of the fourth and final
Test Match at The Oval has totally gone
Pakistan's way. The visitors have been helped to
a healthy lead of 152 runs thanks to Mohammad
Yousuf's third century in this series. Pakistan
still have 7 wickets in hand and at stumps on a
truncated day due to rain and bad light, they
are standing pretty at 336 for 3 with Mohammad
Yousuf batting on 115 and with him is the
skipper Inzamam on 2.
Yousuf had got good support from Imran Farhat to
begin with and then Mohamad Hafeez as his two
partnerships with these batsmen had kept England
at bay all day. Both Imran Farhat and Mohammad
Hafeez were dismissed in their nineties by
Matthew Hoggard. Infact England could just get
the wickets of these two batsmen in the entire
day's work out. Pakistan added up 240 runs in
the 60 overs that were possible on a day full of
interruptions.
The start of play was delayed for quite some
time due to a wet outfield, but once play
resumed with Pakistan at 96 for 1, the pair of
Imran Farhat and Mohammad Yousuf continued from
where they had left on the other day. Imran
Farhat got out for 91 in the 32nd over after
driving Hoggard into the slips. It was an
entertaining innings from Imran Farhat as he had
taken just 112 deliveries to score those 91 runs
which also included 12 boundaries and a six. The
2nd wicket partnership was worth 78 runs and
after Farhat's fall, Mohammad Hafeez walked in.
The right hander who had opened the batting
yesterday had to retire hurt following a tendon
problem in his leg while batting on 8. Today,
Hafeez batted with some discomfort in his leg,
but was determined to make best use of the
opportunity given to him by the team management.
He put on a massive 177-run partnership with
Mohammad Yousuf for the 3rd wicket which was
just a little over what England had managed in
their first innings. Hafeez was approaching his
2nd Test Century and was out to an old ball
which was just about to be replaced with the
second new ball to be taken by Hoggard after one
or two warm up deliveries. Hafeez had flicked
Hoggard with a stiff leg to Andrew Strauss at
short mid wicket and thus falling short of a
hundred by only 5 runs. The right hander took
178 balls and had scored 14 fours and a six.
Meanwhile Mohammad Yousuf who was batting on and
on went past 600 runs in this series. He had
scored his 6th century against England but he
might be disappointed that Pakistan had already
lost the Test Series 0-2. For the record,
Yousuf's 115 had come in just 190 balls with the
help of 16 fours. England's most successful
bowlers in this Series - Steve Harmison and
Monty Panesar are yet to take any wickets and
both of them have been scored off at a good
rate.
Yousuf has got Inzamam as company and if the two
can restart their innings against a relatively
brand new ball, then Pakistan can well look on
to bat England out of the match. It is a
difficult position for England as their first
innings batting was bad and it would continue to
keep them on the backfoot all through this Test
Match. The only thing that can save them is the
weather, but again England always allows play to
be carried on for a long time in the evenings
compared to any other part in the world. There
are three full days left in this Test Match and
Pakistan realistically should be in a position
to win this match considering the position they
have got into.
Top of the Page |
