August 24, 2003	Sunday	Jumadi-us-Sani 25

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KARACHI, Aug 23: Fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed bowled Pakistan into a winning position despite a fine century by Bangladesh’s Habibul Bashar on the fourth day of the first Test at the National Stadium here on Saturday.

Shabbir, who became the seventh Pakistani to claim five or more wickets in an innings on Test debut, produced a sensational burst of four for seven in 19 deliveries as Bangladesh slipped from 251 for five to 274 all out. The visitors lost the last five wickets for 23 runs in 33 balls after threatening to set a challenging target for the hosts.

By close of play Pakistan had already wiped out 112 of the 217 runs they require for victory with Yasir Hameed, the batting hero of the first innings with that dazzling 170, heading for his second century of the match.

If Yasir does reach the landmark during Sunday’s play, he will become only the second player in Test history to make a century in each innings of the same match on debut. West Indian Lawrence Rowe launched his career with 214 and 100 not out against New Zealand at Kingston in 1971-72.

Yasir was batting on 68 in the unbroken second wicket partnership of 102 with opener Mohammad Hafeez, who was given a life at 31 but finished the day on 36.

The first session of the day belonged to Habibul and his young partner Rajin Saleh after the tourists resumed at 163 for three. Habibul added 26 more runs to his overnight 82 before a rush of blood cost him his wicket.

Danish Kaneria, the 22-year-old leg-spinner, enticed Habibul to hit over the top with a well-flighted delivery. However, the Bangladeshi vice-captain only succeeded in finding Shabbir taking a good catch, running to his right at mid-off.

Habibul’s 108 equalled his only other three-figure knock, made against Zimbabwe at Chittagong in November 2001, and was Bangladesh’s fourth century in 22 Tests. The country’s other centuries were scored by Aminul Islam (145 against India in Bangladesh’s inaugural Test at Dhaka, November 2000) and Mohammad Ashraful (114 on debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo’s SSC Ground, September 2001).

Habibul, who hit 71 in the first innings, batted for 278 minutes and stroked 11 boundaries in his 218-ball innings. His fourth wicket stand with Rajin, which was worth 111 in almost three hours, was Bangladesh’s best for that wicket against Pakistan (surpassing 69 put on by Aminul and Habibul at Dhaka in January 2002) and fell just three of the record partnership — in which Habibul partnered Mehrab Hossain — achieved against Zimbabwe at Harare in November 2001.

Kaneria clean bowled Alok Kapali for one during an unchanged pre-lunch spell of 13 overs from the Pavilion End, picking up two for 13 in the process.

However, Saleh kept his cool to complete a patient and thoroughly deserved 50 in his maiden Test in four hours and 28 minutes with his seventh boundary. The 19-year-old right-hander displayed excellent temperament and handled the bowling on its merit on his way to a 239-ball 60. At one stage he remained scoreless for 49 deliveries but his concentration never wavered.

Saleh’s dismissal at 251 triggered the collapse that tilted the balance in Pakistan’s favour. Shabbir ended Saleh’s 309-minute marathon stay by forcing him to edge a catch to Rashid Latif before trapping Khaled Mahmud next ball in front of the stumps for a first-ball duck.

Khaled Mashud, the Bangladeshi wicket-keeper, was lured out of his crease by Kaneria and was comfortably stumped by Pakistani captain Rashid Latif. Mashud, who added 56 for the sixth wicket in with Saleh in exactly two hours, made 22 while negotiating 81 balls.

Tapash Baisya fell to the Rashid-Shabbir combination for five before last man Mashrafe Mortaza managed to lift Kaneria over long-on for the first six of the match.

Shabbir, appropriately, then ended the innings when umpire Steve Bucknor answered in the affirmative to a leg-before-wicket appeal against Mohammad Rafique (6).

The lanky speedster finished with excellent figures of five for 48 in 18.1 overs and a match haul of eight for 109. Kaneria bowled 38 overs for his three for 85. Shoaib Akhtar had to be contend with just one wicket against his name. On a slow pitch the fast bowler found the going hard and bowled in short spells without finding his rhythm.

When Pakistan started their run chase after an early tea, they lost Taufiq Umar with 10 runs on the board. The left-handed opener fell into the trap which was precisely set for him when Baisya forced him to drive into Rajin’s hands at short cover.

But Hafeez and Yasir then came together to prevent any further damage with their century partnership.

Meanwhile, entry into the stadium on Sunday will be free.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH (1st Innings) 288 (Habibul Bashar 71).

PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 346 (Yasir Hameed 170, Rashid Latif 54 not out).

BANGLADESH (2nd Innings, overnight 163-3):

Hannan Sarkar lbw b Hafeez 30

Javed Omar lbw b Shoaib 13

Habibul Bashar c Shabbir b Kaneria 108

Sanwar Hossain lbw b Shabbir 3

Rajin Saleh c Rashid b Shabbir 60

Alok Kapali b Kaneria 1

Khaled Mashud st Rashid b Kaneria 22

Khaled Mahmud lbw b Shabbir 0

Tapash Baisya c Rashid b Shabbir 5

Mohammad Rafique lbw b Shabbir 6

Mashrafe Mortaza not out 10

EXTRAS (LB-11, W-1, NB-4) 16

TOTAL (all out, 114.1 overs) 274

FALL OF WKTS: 1-19, 2-73, 3-83, 4-194, 5-195, 6-251, 7-251, 8-254, 9-262.

BOWLING: Shoaib Akhtar 25-8-59-1; Umar Gul 19-3-57-0 (2nb); Danish Kaneria 38-12-85-3 (1nb); Shabbir Ahmed 18.1-2-48-5 (1nb, 1w); Mohammad Hafeez 14-8-14-1.

PAKISTAN (2nd Innings):

Mohammad Hafeez not out 36

Taufiq Umar c Rajin b Baisya 4

Yasir Hameed not out 68

EXTRAS (LB-4) 4

TOTAL (for one wkt, 40 overs) 112

FALL OF WKT: 1-10.

BOWLING (to-date): Mashrafe Mortaza 10-3-32-0; Tapash Baisya 9-1-29-1; Khaled Mahmud 6-3-8-0; Mohammad Rafique 11-3-17-0; Alok Kapali 2-0-10-0; Rajin Saleh 2-0-12-0.