The 'Puss' @ Lahore 2

By Bagpuss
December 3 2005

DAY 2

Watched the highlights on TV last night - a bit out of order as we got home half way through the English channel highlights so saw Collingwood being rather lucky not to be given out to an inside edge caught behind later in the aftyernoon. Hope he makes the most of this today. Followed up by watching the mornings highlights on the Pakistan channel - unlike the local radio commentary their coverage uses the English feed so fairly easy to follow. The ball was certainly both swinging and seaming off the pitch for the first hour or more of play - perhaps a total somewhere in excess of 300 will be pretty good on this pitch. I feel one of two situations would be best - either we bat for a fair chunk of the day and get a total somewhere around 400, or we put as many runs on the board without taking too much time so we get to bowl whilst morning conditions are still helpful.

Kaneria bowls the first over, Collingwood takes a single then Udal is caught at short leg off bat and pad. 249-7 this could all be over very quickly with the new ball due in a couple of overs. Akhtar bowls form the other end - presumably a bit of a loosener over before taking the new ball. Collingwood takes a single to bring up the 250 and Plunkett scores his first Test run.

As expected the new ball is taken as soon as it is available by Akhtar and Kaneria. Collingwood is moving slowly towards a hundred and Plunkett is hanging on in there without a lot of drama. Shoaib Akhtar is still bowling after the drinks interval - so far a seven over spell, quite a feat when he starts his run up somewhere near the India-Pakistan border crossing at Wagah. Collingwood is on strike on 96 and the field comes up for the last ball of the over to stop him getting the single to keep the strike. You can guess the ball will be dug in a bit short and fast - it is and Collingwood goes for the hook that will get him the four he needs. But the bounce is a little too much and the top edge is caught by Kaneria at long leg. A fine innings nonetheless and I am suitably humbled.

Akhtar grinds out another over trying to do what he does best - clear up the tail enders - but it is Sami who ends up with the mopping up role as he bowls Plunkett off an edge and the pad for 9 then next ball gets a fine edge off Harmison to the keeper. England 288 all out - a disappointing total considering the start with an opening partnership of a hundred, but at least a target for the bowlers to have a go at.

Pakistan have about 20 minutes to bat before lunch, a tricky time for them we hope. Hoggard opens. At last he has a new ball and a pitch which will give him some swing, Malik chips the last ball of his first over to Plunkett at mid off. One down with the total still on zero. Kamal is next in for the missing Younis Khan and he becomes Hoggards second victim off the first ball of the 5th over when the left hander is caught by the one that swings back in - lbw and nothing there for Kamal to get the hump about (sorry!!). Lunch is taken immediately with Pakistan in a spot of bother on 12-2.

After lunch Hoggard and Flintoff resume, Harmison replaces Flintoff in the 10th over. The Harmison radar takes a few overs to get going but he nearly takes the wicket of dangerman Yousuf, the edge carries to Flintoff at second slip but goes straight through the hands. Yousuf is on 16 at the time - hope this won't be too costly.

Plunkett makes his bowling debut in the 19th. He has already scored his first Test run and taken his first test catch today and in his second over he gets his first test wicket. Salman Butt has been a thorn in his namesake as far as England are concerned this series so it is good to see the back of him, caught by the keeper for 28. Pakistan 68-3 and on a wobble. But Inzamam joins Yousuf in the middle - this was the partnership that did for England's hopes of bowling out Pakistan cheaply in Faisalabad.

Yousuf reaches his 50 in the 29th over (71 balls 9x4) and the 100 is posted on the board. Spin makes an appearance in the shape of Udal in the 31st over, but there are too many short balls which Inzamam and Yousuf treat dismissively. Collingwood replaces Udal in the 37th over. The partnership has reached 79 when tea is eventually taken at 3.10pm, Pakistan 147-3 in 390 overs. Yousuf is on 70 and Inzamam 34. I cant quite see the logic in extending the middle session of the day to two and a half hours. I am assuming that it happens because so many overs were lost the previous day to the failing light. However delaying tea by half an hour will not magically make the sun wait a little longer before setting behind the stands! All it means is the last session of the day will be around an hour and a half. If they really want to make up this lost time why cant we start a bit earlier in the morning? The floodlights are switches on during the tea interval but they will only help extend the day by about 15 minutes.

After tea Harmison bowls the first over, and with the last ball hits Inzamam on the wrist. He has managed to pinpoint an area with little natural or artificial padding and after a five or so minute discussion with the team physio Inzamam leaves the field. Retired hurt on 35, Pakistan are 148-3 in the 40th over. Hassan Raza joins Yousuf and the bowlers brighten up - Raza proved to be a bit of a rabbit in his only previous match of the series at Multan, scoring 0 and 1. His series average is improved by about 400% when he gets off the mark with a boundary to bring up the 150.

The 100 partnership (strictly speaking a threesome I guess) is reached in the 49th over. By 4.20 the sun has dipped behind the stands, maybe only time for two or three more overs. Next over Harmison finds the edge of Raza's bat and there is no mistake over the catch by Flintoff this time. Shoaib Akhtar is the nightwatchman of choice. There is just time for two more overs before the umpires call time amid some confusion with the Pepsi can who thought it would make a bid for another drinks break.

At the close Pakistan are 185-4 off 52. Yousuf is making the most of his let-off on 84, Shoaib Akhtar is yet to score. Inzamam is down at the local hozzie getting xrays on his wrist - will he be able to resume tomorrow? And will there be enough time to get any sort of result in this match - by my reckoning we only had 71 overs today - including the 2 allowed for change of innings. Need quick wickets tomorrow.

DAY 3

Pakistan are only just over 100 runs behind the Engalnd first innings total and quick wickets are needed this morning. There is a nightwatchman to bowl at in the shape of Akhtar, though it is possible that Inzamam will return to complete his innings at the first wicket down today. It is one of my main frustrations of touring, particularly on the subcontinent, that being at the centre of the action is no guarantee of knowing what the heck is going on. Most of my 'hot off the press' news comes courtesy of BBC Ceefax via my mother and a timely text message.

Hoggard and Harmison open this morning. Scoring is a little slow, it takes six overs for the 15 runs needed to take Pakistan past the 200. Udal replaces Hoggard and Shoaib Akhtar deposits the ball into the stands at long on. A few overs later the spinner is given pretty much the same treatment by Yousuf, the six brings up his 100 (Cricinfo say off 105 balls think this is wrong, 14/1). The bowlers cant seem to break what is becoming a more than irritating partnership, passing 50 in the 67th. Plunkett comes on for Udal and makes the breakthrough - Akhtar going for the glory shot skies one to Udal at deepish cover. Out for 38 - that would have made him 4th top scorer in England's innings. Pakistan 247-5, only 41 runs behind.

One question partly resolved when it is Kamran who joins Yousuf rather than Inzamam. The keeper has made useful lower-order contributions so far this series without threatening to make a big score. How long would he be able to support Yousuf. Certainly until lunch, which is taken at 265-5. Englands first innings lead is rapidly disappearing.

I go to the pub for lunch. Not, you understand, for refreshment, but to make use of their superior plumbing facilities. Decide to view the match on the big screen telly for a while. I can always walk back to the ground during the change of innings.

OK then, I'll go back when we get a wicket.

Close of play 446-5 (127.4 overs) Yousuf 183 Kamran 115

The following events occurred between the start of the post-lunch session and close of play

Harmison bowls first over after lunch with old ball. Last ball of the over gets the shoulder of Yousuf's bat. Ball doesn't quite carry to Trescothick at slip.

New ball taken as soon as available 2nd over after lunch by Hoggard and Harmison

Pakistan pass England's first innings total in the 84th over. In the 87th over Yousuf edges between slip and gully for 4 to bring up 300. In the 88th Kamran ducks under a Flintoff bouncer and leaves the periscope up - the ball hits the bat and loops into the air but falls safely. Kamran reaches his half century (85, 6) and Yousuf his 150 (278, 18/1). 350. Bell has a bowl. Pietersen looks like he wants a go too - "Michael, pick me". Haven't quite got that far down in the barrel yet though. 392-5 at tea.

After tea 400 up. Plunkett bowls a good spell, Kamran in particular plays and misses several times but the luck isnt there. Then in the 120th over Kamran makes the mistake, the ball flies to Trescothick's left, he gets a hand there but it doesn't stick. A let off for Kamran who after a while stuck in the 90s reaches his second Test hundred ( 179,9). 4.32pm, lets have a drinks break. Pretty ridiculous as the light has almost gone but they do have a quota to reach for giant Pepsi can appearances during a days play. After drinks the umpires offer the light but Yousuf and Kamran are rather enjoying themselves and decide they would like to play a little longer if its all the same to you. That is until Harmison comes on and lets a few fly past the end of Kamran's nose at which point he decides he doesn't want to play with the big boys any more. Play is called off at about 4.40 after 127.4 overs. Pakistan are 158 runs ahead at 446-5 with Yousuf 183 and Kamran 115.

What can I say about a day's play when only one wicket, and that the nightwatchman, fell? Not much really - my impression is this pitch has turned as flat as the proverbial, any assistance to the bowlers that was apparent on the first and to a lesser extent the second mornings has long gone. I am not going to criticise any of the players - there are far more eminently qualified and better paid people out here to do that and I expect those of you who want their points of view will read them in buckets in tomorrows rags. But England are in a perilous position and those who took the 2-1 against a Pakistan victory at lunch today will be feeling a windfall may be coming their way shortly.

So to cheer everyone up after a depressing days cricket here are a few observations from the match. . .

Those of us who have struggled through the rigours of Multan and Faisalabad have been joined by a contingent of some 150 England supporters here in Lahore, boosting numbers to somewhere near 200. There are pockets of England supporters around the ground, generally our seats bear no relevance to our tickets. In general in Pakistan if you walk somewhere with absolute confidence, no-one will stop you. Unless of course you are a native Pakistani, in which case you will be beaten back with sticks. I am surprised we do not encounter more resentment than we do.

Welcome additions to the group include the Pink Panther and Sylvester (yes I could tell you who they are, but then I'd have to kill you). Barmy Army trumpeter Bill is here, giving inspiration and melody to our singing (well almost). He managed quite a repertoire this morning, trying to think of apt tunes to play in support of each bowler - Hoggard gets King of the Swingers and the theme tune from Heartbeat, the Flintstones and Coronation Street for Fred and Harmison the theme music form Lovejoy (an in joke out here that I need someone to explain to me) and the Fog on the Tyne. Shaun Udal was geographically a little more difficult - I Am Sailing was the best we could do. Fortunately the end of his spell saved him from the next tune - The Oldest Swinger in Town. Any ideas for musical accompaniment welcomed!!

Cheerleader "Jimmy" is here much to the amusement of his Pakistani counterpart Chachi. Chachi Cricket (which translates as Uncle Cricket) is Pakistan's number one supporter - even if he does spend his time between matches relaxing in the UAE. An imposing white-bearded, green-gowned figure, he is sponsored by the series sponsors bank Alfalah and parades around the ground leading the ecstatic followers in supportive chants for the team. One such chant goes. . .

PAKISTAN - ZINDEBAN
PAKISTAN - ZINDEBAN
JIVA JIVA - PAKISTAN
JIVA JIVA - PAKISTAN
LOVELY LOVELY - PAKISTAN
LOVELY LOVELY - PAKISTAN.

Which roughly translated means . . .

COME ON PAKISTAN. COME ON ME BABBIES!!