FAISALABAD, 25 November 2005 — An 80-run fifth wicket partnership between Kevin Pietersen and Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff rescued England from possible defeat in the second Test match, which ended in a draw here yesterday. But Pakistan maintained their 1-0 lead in the three-Test series and the two teams will now clash for supremacy in Lahore next week.
When play had to be stopped due to bad light, 16 overs earlier, the visitors had struggled to 164 for 6, with Geraint Jones (30) and Ashley Giles (13) putting a stiff resistance to Pakistani bowlers to finally draw the match.
England, chasing a stiff target of 285 to win from 64 overs, slumped to 20 for 4 in the first 5.2 overs of the second innings. Fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan did all the damage but the middle order trio of Flintoff (56), Pietersen (42) and Jones saved the match and kept alive the hope of leveling the series.
When Pakistan took the field for the second time an over before lunch today, Akhtar struck the first blow having shattered Marcus Trescothick’s stumps from the fourth ball of the first over. England virtually gave up the chase when Andrew Strauss and first innings century-maker Ian Bell followed in quick succession, all three without scoring. Skipper Micheal Vaughn’s departure reduced England to 20 for four and left them with no option but to salvage a draw.
Vaughan heaped praise on his Pakistani counterpart. “Inzamam played two fantastic knocks and he was the difference between the two sides,” Vaughan told the after-match presentation ceremony.
“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.”
Earlier, Pakistan declared their second innings on 268 for nine after skipper Inzamam ul-Haq scored another century, his second in this match and 24th in Tests to bring back his team strongly in the game.
Pakistan were denied a win here but this Test was a personal triumph for Inzamam, who dominated the game most of the five days. He batted superbly and in the process crossed two milestones. He became the highest century-maker in Tests for Pakistan, beating Javed Miandad’s record of 23 hundreds and also joined the elite group of five Pakistanis to have scored a century in both innings of a Test. He hit one six and nine fours in his unbeaten 134-ball hundred.
The Pakistan captain, who also made 53 and 72 in the first Test at Multan, continued to thrive on the England attack.
He offered a chance on 79 while going for a big shot off spinner Shaun Udal, but Strauss failed to judge a skier at the mid-wicket boundary. Pakistan were already 256 ahead with two wickets in hand.
Inzamam, who batted in a positive frame of mind did not protect his partners, Akhtar and Naveed but farmed the strike only when last-man Danish Kaneria was at the other end. He was on 81 when Kaneria walked in but batted shrewdly to complete record hundred.
England had a chance of squaring the series in the morning session of the topsy-turvy day, but were in danger of losing it in the afternoon. They needed one early wicket, that of Inzamam, who had only tail-enders to give him company.
Pakistan were only 199 ahead with four wickets in hand when play resumed, but in-form Inzamam saved the match with his brilliant knock. Inzamam was delighted after his ton 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 Miandad’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.”
Inzi Gets Little Master
Pat on the Back
Former batting great Hanif Mohammad praised captain Inzamam ul-Haq on becoming the second Pakistani batsman to score a century in each innings of a Test against England.
“Inzamam is a great batsman. His second hundred in the Faisalabad Test came under pressure which shows his caliber,” said Mohammad, the only other Pakistani batsman to have achieved the feat.
Mohammad scored 111 and 104 against England at Dhaka in 1961-62.
The 35-year-old Inzamam is only the fifth Pakistani batsman to score a century in each innings of a Test. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced a cash award of 500,000 rupees (8,300 dollars) for Inzamam.
Following are the Pakistani batsmen to score a century in each innings: Hanif Mohammad 111and 104 vs. England at Dhaka in 1961-62; Javed Miandad 104 and 103 not out vs. New Zealand at Hyderabad in 1984-85; Wajahatullah Wasti 133 and 121 not out vs. Sri Lanka at Lahore in 1998-99 and Yasir Hameed 170 and 105 vs. Bangladesh at Karachi in 2003-04.
