New ball breaks England's resistance

Pakistan used the new ball to slash through England's stubborn middle order in a dramatic fightback on the third day of the second Test at Iqbal stadium in Faisalabad on Friday.

At stumps England were 282-8, still needing 34 runs to level Pakistan's first innings total of 316.

Just when England were eying a first innings lead, Pakistan's pacers Wasim Akram and Abdur Razzak took the new ball with lethal effect, capturing three wickets in five balls for just one run.

Graham Thorpe was the prize scalp, having batted defiantly for his 79 including a dogged 97-run partnership with nightwatchman Ian Salisbury.

With England safely placed at 266-5, Akram, playing in his 100th Test, produced a sharp incoming delivery to trap Thorpe leg before.

Thorpe batted for 325 minutes and hit eight boundaries -- seven more than in his century at Lahore.

Razzak then struck twice with his first and third deliveries with the new ball, dismissing Greame Hick for 13 and Ashley Giles for nought to revive Pakistan's dwindling fortunes.

In tandem with Salisbury, who made 33, Thorpe had put England in the driving seat after they finished the second day at a precarious 110-3.

Their stand flourished much to the disappointment of a 15,000-strong holiday crowd who were anticipating another spellbinding display of spin from Pakistan's wrist men.

Pakistani captain Moin Khan tried everything to dislodge the pair but luck deserted the home team as the tourists moved themselves into striking position for a first-innings lead.

Thorpe survived a confident caught behind appeal off Saqlain Mushtaq when he was on just 12, and four overs before lunch Khan failed to hold a snick off Salisbury's bat when he was on 26.

Arshad Khan finally provided the breakthrough when Salisbury was caught at silly point by Yousuf Youhanna for 33.

Alec Stewart helped Thorpe add another 32 runs for the fifth wicket before he miscued a drive off teenage debutant Danish Kaneria and was caught at deep mid-on by Razzak for 13.

Pakistan coach Javed Miandad was not amused at some of the umpiring decisions and his bowlers' lack of penetration for most of the day.

"We should use the third umpire more because one or two decisions can change the whole thing," Miandad said. Outside the stadium police used batons and tear gas to control crowds trying to enter the stadium.

Scoreboard

Pakistan (1st innings): 316 (Yousuf Youhanna 77, Moin Khan 65, Saeed Anwar 53, Ashley Giles 5-79, Darren Gough 3-79).

England (1st innings):
M.Atherton c Youhanna b Saqlain 32
M.Trescothick st Moin b Kaneria 30
N.Hussain lbw b Saqlain 23
I.Salisbury c Youhanna b Khan 33
G.Thorpe lbw b Akram 79
A.Stewart c Razzak b Kaneria 13
G.Hick c Youhanna b Razzak 18
C.White not out 6
A.Giles c Afridi b Razzak 0
A.Caddick not out 2
Extras: (b4, lb11, nb 31) 46
Total: (for 8 wickets) 282
To bat: D.Gough
Fall of wickets: 1-49, 2-105, 3-106, 4-203, 5-235, 6-274, 7-274, 8-275
Bowling: Wasim Akram 22-5-57-1, Abdur Razzak 16-0-50-2, Danish Kaneria 31-9-73-2, Saqlain Mushtaq 28-8-57-2, Arshad Khan 25-12-29-1, Shahid Afridi 1-0-1-0
Overs: 123

Mail Cricket Editor