Back-to-the-wall action can save match
Brisbane, Nov 8: Out of adversity came the response for which all Pakistan must have longed
A. Jalil
09-Nov-1999
Brisbane, Nov 8: Out of adversity came the response for which all
Pakistan must have longed. But whether the response will be prolonged
enough to save the first Test only the final day will tell.
The task was enormous enough for Pakistan even at the commencement of
their second innings, having conceded a mammoth 208 run lead, but
after disastrously losing 3 for 37, it called for a colossal concerted
effort from Pakistan's remaining specialist batsmen to bat long enough
to get out of this match.
The timely intervention - from Pakistan's point of view - by
Queensland incessant tropical rain which prevented any play after tea,
may yet have its say in the outcome of this match. In any case, when
Pakistan resume their second innings it will have to be staunch
back-to-the-wall stuff from the six remaining batsmen for the duration
of near enough two sessions of play to save the match.
The predicament is of their own making. Having let Australia do
virtually as they pleased with Pakistan's bowling for nearly two days,
Pakistan showed no urgency to wrap up the innings with the last pair
in. They seemed to lack attitude and gave the impression of being
disorganised in the field. It took Pakistan 38 minutes to remove the
last wicket but worse still, they gave away as many as 60 runs.
Shane Warne thoroughly enjoyed swinging his bat for 4 sixes off
Mushtaq Ahmed, 3 of them in one over and as all of them were struck in
the area between long-on and wide mid-wicket, one would question
Mushtaq's motive in putting the ball repeatedly around the same
spot. It was yet another example of Pakistan's lack of commitment in
this Test match.
With no play in the final session today, the loss of Yousuf Youhana's
wicket ten minutes before tea becomes all the more critical. His
batting has been of the highest class in both innings of this Test and
his stand of 177 with Saeed Anwar, a fourth wicket record for Pakistan
against Australia, brought more than just a glimmer of hope to
Pakistan.
Saeed Anwar, having been given a life by Mark Waugh at second slip, on
4 with the total 17 for 2, then settled in for a brilliant innings. He
gleefully celebrated the let off with two consecutive boundaries in
that same over, the first off his legs and the next through cover.
But a bit of drama was to come in the next over bowled by Glenn
McGrath, Anwar gave a sharp, low chance to Shane Warne at first slip
which the fielder seemed to take on the volley. He then signalled
that he wasn't sure if he had taken it clearly and gestured for the
third umpire's replay verdict. Going by the rules, a player cannot
demand a replay verdict, it is entirely up to the umpires to
decide. However, Warne's intention was clearly out of honesty and
after several minutes deliberation it was judged not to be a catch.
Anwar and Youhana had stopped the early innings collapse and by lunch
had brought the hundred up with Anwar meanwhile taking just 58 balls
to reach fifty.
Pakistan were still a hundred behind at this stage but during the
post-lunch period the partnership flourished with Australia's bowlers
making very little impression on either batsman. Youhana's stroke-play
was most attractive, he reached his second 50 of the match driving
Ricky Ponting to the cover boundary and then hooked McGrath for six to
reach 60. He went on to take three boundaries in an over from Scott
Muller. Anwar had progressed to 99 when he pushed a single to short
mid-wicket to bring up his ninth Test century and, remarkably, his
third in three consecutive Tests against Australia.
Their batting was a lesson to the other top order Pakistan batsmen who
fell today to poor shots at a time when there was need for a big
innings to be built. Inzamam lacked application even though he fell to
a good low catch but Mohammad Wasim and particularly Ijaz Ahmed were
totally out of form. The latter had no excuse for the shot he played
today an airy-fairy square drive and his fielding in this match was
almost embarrassing.
With these three batsmen back in the pavilion, Pakistan's second
innings seemed doomed on 3 for 37 until the combined effort of Anwar
and Youhana put some pride back into Pakistan's work. Saeed Anwar is
still in, but with as few as 15 runs on and only the last six wickets
remaining, Pakistan's position is unenviable.