Baggy in Faislabad 1

By Bagpuss
November 26 2005

And the pink and white striped one goes on through the heat of Pakistan to the next 'almost' English performance. We have the luxury of enjoying a taste of subcontinental cricket from the mad vet from Tiverton! And all this on the day when Blackie gets called up to the one day squad. It never stops!

Greetings from Faisalabad. The Manchester of Pakistan, and though as an adopted Scouser it pains me to say so, Manchester should be somewhat insulted by this comparison, based on the prevalence of cotton and textile mills in the city.

Faisalabad is the third largest city in Pakistan after (in no particular order because I'm not sure) Karachi and Lahore, and lacks the quirky old-world feel of Multan. We arrive the day after the Multan Test finishes by Daewoo coach - the ultimate in luxury coach travel in Pakistan. Not bad I guess - reclining seats, air con, in flight meal - ok sandwich - and as much Pepsi or Sprite as we wanted. Also two films, handily for the eight England cricket fans on board they had popped in to their local Blockbuster before departure and Bollywood was replaced by Mel Gibson. After taking nearly an hour or so clearing the suburbs of Multan, negotiating our way around cars, buses, lorries, mopeds, bicycles, auto rickshaws, horse, donkey, mule and ox carts we finally reach the smooth surface of the first motorway I have seen here and speed up to about 60 mph.

Sadly such speedy travel was shortlived as we diverted onto an A road and it was back to dodging traffic, buttock clenching overtaking manouvres and slow progress through the villages. At least the short time on the dual carraigeway confirmed one thing that had been uncertain during my two weeks in Pakistan - they do indeed drive on the left!

Arrive at the Sandal Bar hotel in downtown Faisalabad, suopposedly the second-best gaff in town. Hopes raised by the presence of complimentary (though obviously at least second-hand) sandals in room, but further investigation of surroundings failed to unearth the bar promised in the hotel title. Ah well at least the liver is enjoying this tour. We have about fourteen digfferent light switches in the room, divided between four locations and at least 50% of them are functional. There is a strainge chequerboard arrangement of multicoloured lights on the ceiling and a couple of strip lights. Air con is a non-functional option, good job the night temperature falls to comfortable levels at this time of year. The other electrical wiring is novel to say the least - the TV seems to be wired into the cable for the fridge. Make a mental not not to lock door whilst I am in room as danger from fire considered much likelier than happening on axe-wielding madman.

The following morning we pay a visit to the ground - a much smaller affair than at Multan with little in the way of shade for the viewing public and a strong influence by Pepsi in the internal decor. Security here much more relaxed and we are able to get into the ground to watch net practice. Can't really tell anything about the pitch and I suspect it will alter beyond recognition in next couple of days anyway. Smallish outfield - doesn't look much bigger than Headingley - hopefully this will mean KP and Flintoff get sixes rather than being caught in the deep. Rumour has it Vaughan will be fit to play.

Visit the Clock Tower which is a sort of clock tower construction in the centre of Faisalabad, with eight roads radiating around it supposedly in a Union Jack layout. And that is about it as far as the sights of Faisalabad are concerned. Exciting huh!

PAKISTAN v ENGLAND 2nd TEST - FAISALABAD 20-24 NOVEMBER 2005

DAY 1

Vaughan is back in charge of England at the expense of Collingwood. Pakistan make two changes - Shahid Afridi, surprise omission from the fiorst test comes in for Hassan Raza and Shabbir Ahmed is dropped after his action was called into question to be replaced by seamer Naved ul Hassan. Vaughan's return doesn't bring any luck as he loses the toss and Inzamam decides he'd like a little longer over breakfast whilst this openers have a bit of a bat.

Hoggard and Flintoff open the bowling (Harmison will be relegated to 2nd change) and the Pakistani openers start in fine fettle, form man Salman Butt carrying on where he left off in Multan. It taked a few overs for the bowlers to find their radar and the scoring rate drops to around three an over. Giles replaces Hoggard who is getting no movement at all in the 9th over, Harmison comes on for Flintoff next over.

Drinks are taken and the 50 comes up soon after. Could be a long old day in the field today. Then in the next over Harmison finds the Butt edge (painful! ED) and is caught behind. Butt goes for 26 and Pakistan are 53-1. Flintoff then replaces Harmison for the 20th over and gets Younis chipping his loosener to Pietersen, who holds his second catch of the series (and his Test career). 63-2. Four overs later with Hoggard in the attack Shoaib Malik drives through extra cover and is magnificently caught by the leaping Flintoff, one handed and to his right. Where is the replay screen when you want one.

Inzamam joins Mohammed Yousuf and they make stady progress until lunch when Pakistan are 87-3 off 31 overs, Yousuf on 9 and Inzamam 5. After a rapid start the England attack have done well to peg back the run rate and three wickets a bit of a bonus on this track. First session to England.

However if England lunched well it had to last them for a long grind through the mid afternoon session. Harmison and Giles bowling first up after lunch. Vaughan plays mix and match with the bowling attack but no sign of a wicket coming. Worryingly neither spinner seems to be able to keep a lid on the scoring rate, easing the pressure on the batsmen. The dibbly-dobblies of Bell are called into action and though the 50 partnership is posted Bell does seem to be causing Inzamam a little consternation, rather like a mildly irritating fly though rather than a particularly viscious hornet. Yousuf passes 50 (113 balls, 5x4/1x6) before Pakistan go to tea on 189-3 off 60 overs (Yousuf 77/Inzamam 38)

After tea Vaughan persists with Bell and just as I am questioning this logic bell takes a sharp low return catch from Yousuf. One umpire is unsighted, the other says the catch was taken cleanly and Yousuf is given out on 78 without the involvement of the third umpire. Local television commentators and press are incensed - replays are somewhat inconclusive but I would say that almost every one of those close-to-the-ground catches I have seen on ultra-slow-mo replays looks a bit doubtful. Anyway the umires finger went up and the local press would be unhappy if they did not have a decision to complain about in their copy for tomorrow morning. I though we English were meant to be the whingers. . .

201-4 and dismay at the departure of Yousuf is rapidly replaced by delerium at the arrival of Shahid Afridi. And he didn't disappoint his admiring fans. After taking a sum total of one ball to assess Bell's bowling he hit the next three balls for 4. Unsurprisingly this signalled the end of Bell's spell as the remaining England bowlers joined an orderly queue for similar dismissive attention. Inzimam reaches 50 (117, 5) though not a lot of people really notice this. The run rate which had been a little over threee an over is increasing towards the 4 mark. Udal comes on for Flintoff - could be carnage, but he does a reasonable job restricting both batters. Then with Afridi on 35 and the total 245 Afridi hits Hoggard straight to cover - where Vaughan promptly drops it. Yes the ball was travelling fast but it was one that really should have been held and may prove expensive. Most chances offered by Afridi are to members of the public sitting about seven rows back in the stands.

Afridi reaches 50 off just 46 balls (4x4/3x6). The new ball is taken as soon as available but only one Hoggard over is possible before the umpires call time as the light fades. Nine overs have been lost on this first day, with Pakistan finishing on 300-4, Inzamam on a pedestrian 80 and Afridi a frenetic 67. Pakistan will sleep better than England tonight.

DAY 2

Pakistan are on top after the first day. Leaving the ground after close of play yesterday was entertaining or intimidating, depending on your point of view. Afridi had stirred the home crowd to a frenzy and any missile would do if an English face walked past. Will have to be more careful.

Anyway, enough of this England need wickets and fast if Pakistan are not going to bat us out of the game. The new ball is only one over old, Flintoff and Hoggard open the bowling. Afridi looks to continue where he left off the previous evening and hits 16 off three consecutive Hoggard balls. But at the end of the same over trying to do the same again Hoggard gets the edge and Trescothick takes a good low catch. Afridi seems reluctant to go, just 8 runs short of his hundred as he is, but umpire Hair sends him on his way.

Good. Now we have an end to bowl at with Kamran the keeper. Inzamam gets his hundred after a few moments stuck in the 90's (187, 12). Ominously stats tell us that Pakistan have never lost a Test when Inzamam has scored a ton. But captain Inzamam is next to go in what turns out to be yet another controversial decision. He plays a Harmison full toss straight back to the bowler, who, seeing that Inzamam has strayed from the crease, immediately throws down the stumps. After some deliberation the third umpire gives him out. On watching the replays there is no doubt that Inzi's foot is airborne at the moment the stumps are broken, the doubt is whether this was a lawful dismissal as the laws state that a batsman should not be given out if the has made his ground then leaves to take avoiding action from a throw. The pictures certainly would back the claim that Inzamam's movements were in self preservation, I suppose the question is whether he had been in his ground prior to this. Have to admit though I was as pleased as anyone English to see the back of the captain, I do feel he was a bit unlucky. Hey ho. 369-6, hopefully we can restrict the home side to around 400.

However the addition of Naved and release of Shabbir has given the Pakistan tail a little more staying power. The 400 comes up in the 100th over and they still have four wickets in hand. Not for long as three runs later Naved plays on to Harmison for 25. It takes a while to get the next wicket and there are not a lot of celebrations when Giles finally takes the return catch from Sami. 431-8. Shoaib and Kamran survive to lunch when the score is 446-8 with Kamran 41 and Shoaib yet to score.

First ball after lunch Giles gets Kamran caught by the keeper Jones. The 450 is posted in the same over. Surely England can wrap this up. Not before Shoaib has a little fun and games - a six back over the head of Harmison, next ball the same but over midwicket for vaiation. Third ball goes straight down the throat of Flintoff at long on. Pakistan all out 462, a formidable total even on such a flat track.

Trescothick drives Shoaib's first ball for 4 to settle the nerves. Naved opens at the other end, Shoaib needs a rest after bowling 4 overs and is replaced by Sami. Drinks are taken and next Naved over he bowls Strauss off an inside edge for 12. 33-1 is not a good start when chasing 263 just to avoid the follow on and it nearly gets worse when Trescothick and Vaughan have a yes-wait-no moment. Vaughan prods the ball directly to extra cover, starts to run then changes his mind and sends the charging Trescothick into a u-turn. The dive is desperate, the fielders throw a direct hit and though it looked out to me (from fine leg at the opposite end I may add!) the third umpire confirms he was home by a whisker.

No need to worry further about Vaughan's running between the wickets as Naved removes his middle stump. The captain is gone for 2, England are wobbling on 39-2 and the local papers have their headline photo of Vaughan's woodwork cartwheeling behind him. It brings Bell to the crease - England now have their form batsmen of the tour in place. Normal service seems to be resumed, the 50 us up in the 17th over. Just before tea Afridi takes the stage to a rapturous reception, Kaneria comes on at the other end to a somewhat more subdued welcome but the batters survive to tea. England 64-2 off 22 with Trescothick 29 and Bell 14

After tea these two pass the 50 partnership. All is going smoothly when suddenly there is a loud bang from the opposite side of the ground. A little smoke rises and the crowd in that area are fleeing to the back of the stand. The advertising hoardings in that spot have been blown over. Is this it - has the unthinkable happened? Will this be end of match, end of tour? The twenty-seven different varieties of Pakistani police rush to the area-no one seems quite sure what they are dealing with or what they are supposed to be doing. Thje players have congregated in the centre of the ground, and Trescothick looks like he'd rather be back in the dressing room thank you very much if its all the same to you. The a ground official holds the culprit aloft for the cameras. A carbon dioxide cylinder from the Pepsi stall has exploded. No one hurt as far as I could tell, though our own Pepsi seller is looking more than a little worried.

Play resumes after about a 10 minute delay to repair the sponsors advertising hoarding (poetic justice would have assured it was a Pepsi board, alas it was not). Bell and Trescothick seem to regain concentration so it is unfortunate when a drinks break is taken just one over later. Pretty daft if you ask me as the subs had been on the field with drinks during the delay. But the giant Pepsi can that comes on to the field during the break - that both players and umpires studiously ignore-must get its media exposure. I would have thought after events that Pepsi would have wanted to keep its head down.

Trescothick moves smoothly on towards his half century and I get the camera ready in preparation for the mot when Sami finds the edge in the 33rd and he is caught at slip. My fault sorry mate! Trescothick gone for 48, England just past the 100 on 107-3 and Pietersen with a few overs to survive till close of play. Bet Hoggard is padded up for nightwatchman duties. But he is not needed as the umpires again call them for the light and England are 113-3 overnight with Bell solid on 38 and Pietersen 4.  It has been Pakistan's day and a sterling effort will be needed on day 3.