Saturday, January 20, 2007

Live Scores-Inzamam puts Pakistan in Command:

Second Test, Port Elizabeth, day two (tea):
South Africa 124 & 25-1 v Pakistan 265
Here are the Live Scores:
South Africa found themselves in trouble at tea on day two of the second Test with South Africa, reaching the interval 116 runs behind at 25-1.

Pakistan added 130 with their remaining four wickets, skipper Inzamam playing a masterful knock and shielding the tail.

Makhaya Ntini struck early, recording his 300th Test victim, but Inzamam moved to 92, adding 74 from 122 balls with last man Mohammad Sami (7).

The skipper then held a superb diving catch to dismiss Graeme Smith for 10.

The tourists, seeking to level the series, added useful runs when tailender Sami hit two fours in an over, much to the annoyance of Andre Nel.

But to the great delight of Ntini, who revealed an inscribed t-shirt, he nipped none back and caught the inside edge to secure his landmark.
Short balls accounted for Shoaib Akhtar and Danish Kaneria but Inzamam-ul-Haq survived to make his 46th Test fifty.

Pakistan were already 11 runs ahead of South Africa's mediocre 124 going into the second day at Port Elizabeth, and looked set for a commanding advantage when Inzamam and Sami took their partnership to 31 from 49 balls.

But Ntini's pace and the agility of keeper Mark Boucher signalled the landmark wicket, with the paceman becoming the 22nd man to reach the 300 wicket stage, and the third South African.

The Pakistan tailenders were clearly uncomfortable against the short ball and this was not lost on the experienced South African bowlers, with venerable all-rounders Jaques Kallis and Shaun Pollock soon brought into the attack.

Shoaib, after fending off some brutal deliveries awkwardly, finally succumbed to Kallis, while Danish Kaneria could only glove Pollock tamely to the gully.

Kallis even employed the short ball to the kingpin himself, Inzamam, and might have dismissed the captain when he was on 35 and the score 195-9.

Inzamam, trying to take as much of the strike as possible, saw the need to find more runs and hooked at the fifth ball of the over.

He could only glove a quick delivery down the leg-side but Boucher could not cling on to the chance one-handed at full stretch to his left.

The skipper seemed destined to complete his personal set of a century against every Test-playing nation, but partner Asif saw his off-stump uprooted by Ntini, who finished with 6-59.

There was time before the interval for Pakistan to make early in-roads when Smith was squared up by a good one from Asif, and Inzamam continued his impressive day by swooping to his left and clutching a fine catch.
Story from BBC sports.

No comments: