Kaneria inspires Pakistan to innings victory

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria's seven-wicket haul bowled Pakistan to victory over Bangladesh by an innings and 178 runs on the third day of the first Test on Friday.

Bangladesh, who made 160 in their first innings, were dismissed for 152 second time around replying to Pakistan's 490 for nine declared.

Kaneria took seven for 77 from 19.4 overs as Pakistan won with more than two days to spare.

Bangladesh, cricket's newest Test nation have now lost nine of their first 10 Tests and were only saved by the rain in the other.

Kaneria, playing in his fourth Test, had taken a liking to the Bangladesh batting in his last Test appearance, taking six for 42 and six for 52 in the Asian Test Championship in August last year.

On Friday, the 20-year-old Hindu never looked back after removing opener Mehrab Hossain for 19 with the score on 38.

He then removed Habibul Bashar for a duck and Sanwar Hossain for one while Abdur Razzaq also chipped in with two wickets.

Bangladesh slumped to 90 for seven before some stout tail-end resistance delayed the inevitable.

Fahim Muntasir top-scored with 33 before he was last man out, giving Kaneria his seventh wicket.

Pakistan had resumed on 436 for six but Bangladesh's left-handed medium pacer Manjurul Islam captured the wickets of centurion Abdur Razzaq and skipper Waqar Younis in the first hour's play.

CAREER-BEST HAUL

Razzaq advanced to a career-best 134 before he was caught at mid-wicket. He hit 17 fours and four sixes in 341 minutes at the crease and shared in a sixth-wicket stand of 175 with Rashid Latif.

Wicketkeeper Rashid Latif fell just six runs short of his own century when he flicked a slow delivery from medium pacer Mohammad Sharif to Al-Sahariar at mid-off on 94.

The tourists declared after Inzamam-ul-Haq was caught by Mehrab Hossain off left-arm spinner Enamul Hoque for 43. Hoque finished with figures of four for 136 from 39.4 overs.

Pakistan's one-month tour of Bangladesh includes two Tests and three one-day internationals.

Earlier reports:

Day 1: Six-wicket Younis puts Pak in command
Day 2: Razzaq, Latif flay Bangladesh attack

Mail Cricket Editor