FAISALABAD, 21 November 2005 — Batting in quite contrasting styles, skipper Inzamam ul-Haq (80 n.o.) and master blaster Shahid Afridi (67 n.o.) added 99 runs for the fifth wicket to take Pakistan to 300 for four at close of play on the first day of the second Test against England here yesterday.
Afridi, who was not included in the team that won the first Test in Multan on Wednesday, played a thrilling knock which included four fours and four sixes His unbeaten 67 was composed of a scintillating array of powerful strokes which placed Pakistan in a very strong position on the first day of the Test. He struck the ball so cleanly that even with fielders posted on the edge of the boundary they never had a hope of holding a catch.
The hard-hitting all-rounder had one life in his otherwise unblemished innings — when he was dropped at 34 by England skipper Michael Vaughn at short cover. Meanwhile, Inzamam played in his usual cool and collected manner, content to nudge the singles.
With no respite from the Afridi onslaught, England must have felt relieved when the umpires called off the play due to poor light, after only 81 of the mandatory 90 overs were bowled. Meanwhile, Vaughn had taken the new ball as soon as it was due but Mathew Hoggard could complete only one over when bad light ended play nine overs early.
Inzamam won the toss again, for the second time in this series, and decided to bat. Pakistan made two changes. Afridi was included in place of Hassan Raza, who had failed in both innings of the first Test and seamer Rana Naveedul Hasan came in place of Shabbir Ahmad, who was called by the umpires in the Multan Test and could not play unless his bowling action is cleared by the ICC.
Shoaib Malik and Salman Butt opened the innings for Pakistan to the bowling of Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff. The two gave a good 53-run start to their side, their second 50-run opening stand in this series before Stephen Harmison made the breakthrough. Just after the drinks interval Butt edged an outgoing delivery into the gloved hands of Geraint Jones.
The success boosted the visitors’ morale who struck twice within a span of 20 runs. The second to go was vice-captain Yunis Khan, who was caught by Kevin Pieterson off Flintoff for 7 when the total was 63. Pakistan lost its third wicket at 73, that of Multan Test centurion Salman Butt (27), who fell to Hoggard.
With the home team struggling at 73 for 3 it once again fell upon the Pakistan skipper and his partner of many memorable match saving partnerships, Mohammad Yousuf, to salvage the situation and lift Pakistan.
Yousuf and Inzamam forged a strong partnership and laid a solid platform to wrestle the initiative back in Pakistan’s favor. The pair put on 128 for the fourth wicket — their ninth century partnership — and stabilized an innings, which, at lunch, had shown signs of fragility. Yousuf in particular, who was not in the best of nick at Multan last week, was in fine touch, caressing nine boundaries, while Inzamam remained resolute at the other end. At lunch the home team was 87 for 3 and not yet out of trouble.
England’s early morning success wasn’t to be reproduced after lunch, because of resolute batting by Pakistan’s experienced pair, although there were a couple of scares for Inzamam early in his innings. He fended a lifting ball from Flintoff, which fell inches short of Andrew Strauss in the gully and flicked the gentle medium-pace of Ian Bell, which Jones, standing up, was incorrectly positioned to take. But these close calls apart, Inzamam and Yousuf batted doggedly throughout the second session and carried the home team from 87 for 3 at lunch to 189 for 3 at tea, adding 102 runs off 29 over.
Yousuf — who had till now played sublimely — drove firmly to Bell, who, in his follow-through, stuck out his right hand to find the ball had (probably) landed safely. There was some speculation if the catch was taken cleanly but umpire Simon Toufel signaled Yousuf to go. Pakistan’s fourth wicket fell at 201.
Then came Afridi. He heralded his arrival to the chanting crowd by clattering Bell over his head for four; followed by two blistering boundaries. He scored 12 runs in his first four balls. He had arrived, and Pakistan’s momentum had received a shot in the arm. Afridi played one of the best innings of the career and was undaunted when skipper Vaughn decided to take the new ball in fading light. He and Inzamam took Pakistan to a commanding position of 300 for 4 when play on the first day ended.
For England Harmison, Flintoff and Hoggard got one wicket each and the fourth went to off-spinner Bell.
