Kanaria, Anwar put Pakistan in control

Danish Kanaria captured his Test best of six for 42 and Saeed Anwar smashed 101 off 102 balls to put Pakistan in charge of the Asian Test championship match against Bangladesh on Wednesday.

Leg-spinner Kanaria sent Bangladesh tumbling to 134 all out and Anwar pressed home the advantage as Pakistan powered to 219 for two at the close of the first day.

Test debutant Taufiq Umar, who shared an opening stand of 168 with Anwar, was unbeaten on 77 at the end of the day and Inzamam-ul-Haq was 25 not out.

Anwar, whose 11th Test hundred contained 17 fours, was out to a catch by Hasibul Hussain off pace bowler Muhammad Sharif two balls after hitting a six over mid-wicket to bring up his century.

Anwar and Umar had carried the attack to Bangladesh from the start, with boundaries coming thick and fast against bowlers who failed to extract any life from the pitch.

Bangladesh, playing Pakistan in a Test for the first time, were outclassed throughout the first day of the championship, which is also being contested by Sri Lanka. India pulled out over a refusal to play Pakistan.

The only period of respite for Bangladesh came when Sharif struck twice in successive overs after tea to remove Anwar and Faisal Iqbal, who was bowled off an inside edge for nine.

It was a day that belonged to Kanaria from the moment his second delivery removed opener Mehrab Hossain for 19, caught by Faisal Iqbal at silly point.

Kanaria was supported by his captain Waqar Younis and off-spinner Shoaib Mailk, who each took two wickets.

After winning the toss, Bangladesh were confronted by Pakistan's experienced new-ball attack of Waqar and former captain Wasim Akram.

Wasim, the only player to take more than 400 wickets in both Tests and one-dayers, bowled 10 overs for just 17 runs without taking a wicket while Waqar took the early scalps of Javed Omar and Habibul Bashar.

On a pitch offering encouraging turn, Kanaria excelled as soon as Waqar introduced him in the 17th over.

Playing in only his third test after being ignored for tours to New Zealand and England earlier this year, Kanaria was soon posing problems for the Bangladeshi batsmen, taking two wickets for four runs just before lunch.

Malik, making up a two-pronged spin attack, bowled Aminul Islam, the only Bangladesh player to make a century in Test cricket, for 10 with his eighth ball, and he also bowled tail-ender Sharif.

Early in the innings, good bounce encouraged Wasim and Waqar to test the batsmen with short-pitched balls, which led to the dismissal of Omar for 12, caught in the gully by Malik off Waqar.

Mail Cricket Editor