August 30, 2003	Saturday	Rajab 1, 1424

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PESHAWAR, Aug 29: Leg-spinner Alok Kapali grabbed Bangladesh’s first hat trick in Test cricket in an absorbing third day’s proceedings against Pakistan in the second Test at Arbab Niaz stadium on Friday.

Kapali, a batsman who could also bowl, hastened Pakistan’s innings for 295 with three wickets off successive deliveries to give Bangladesh a physcological first innings lead of 66 runs, another first for Test minnows against any country.

But home side hit back through first innings destroyer Shoaib Akhtar who removed first innings century maker Javed Omar without scoring and his partner Hannan Sarkar for 7 to provide the much needed early breakthrough by Pakistan in the second innings.

Habibul Bashar (28) and Mohammad Ashraful (7), who played significant innings of 97 and 77 in the first innings, were the other two batsmen to depart and at the stumps the visitors were reeling at 52 for four wickets giving Bangladesh a not too comfortable lead of 118 runs.

At the crease were Razin Saleh on seven and Kapali on four, the last recognized pair, after a day of changing fortunes.

Earlier left arm spinner Rafique was in his element and bowled unchanged but for one over in the first two sessions to check Pakistan’s progress after the hosts resumed at the overnight score of 134 for two wickets with Taufiq Umar (60) and Inzamamul Haq (24).

Rafique, who finished with figures of five for 118, was the cornerstone in helping Bangladesh take a 66-run lead.

Yousuf Youhana fought a long hard battle and remained unbeaten on 64 after 214 minutes vigil at the crease, hammering six fours and a six.

Rafique first forced Taufiq to edge to wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud for 75 and then snared the prized scalp of Inzamam, bowled for 43 after the two had put on 75 for the third wicket.

Skipper Rashid Latif and Youhana batted sensibly and advanced Pakistan’s score to 222 for four wickets at lunch before Rafique struck twice to force home team on the defensive.

Rafique ended the stand soon after resumption when he lured Rashid out of the crease for wicketkeeper Mashud to make a smart stumping.

Rashid made 40 with five boundaries and added 64 runs for the fifth wicket, a new record against Bangladesh, bettering the previous best of 59 for the same wicket between Youhana and Abdul Razzaq in Dhaka last year.

Rafique then trapped injured Shoaib Malik, batting with a runner, lbw for a duck to snatch his second five-wicket haul in five Tests.

Shoaib brought some cheers from the sizeable crowd and twice hoisted Rafique for towering sixes before he was yorked by skipper Khaled Mahmud for 15.

Kapali wrapped up Pakistan’s innings by dismissing Shabbir Ahmed well caught by Mashrafe for 8 and Danish Kaneria for nought with his fifth and sixth deliveries of the second over.

He achieved the hat trick milestone dismissing Umer Gul with first ball of his third over to finish with remarkable figures of 3-3.

Kapali became 29th player in Test cricket history to record the 32nd instance of a bowler grabbing a hat trick.

“It is a historic moment for my team and for my country and I am very happy,” said Kapali.

Scoreboard

Bangladesh (1st innings 361) (Javed Omar 119, Habibul Bashar 97, Mohammad Ashraful 77; Shoaib Akhtar 6-50)

Pakistan (1st innings) (overnight 134-2)

M. Hafeez c K. Mashud b Khaled Mahmud 21

T. Umar c K. Mashud b M. Rafique 75

Yasir Hameed b M. Rafique 23

Inzamam-ul-Haq b M. Rafique 43

Yousuf Youhana not out 64

Rashid Latif st K. Mashud b M. Rafique 40

Shoaib Malik lbw b M. Rafique 0

Shoaib Akhtar b Khaled Mahmud 15

Shabbir Ahmed c M. Mortaza b A. Kapali 8

Danish Kaneria lbw A. Kapali 0

Umar Gul lbw A. Kapali 0

Extras (lb-1 nb-5) 6

Total (all out, 108.1 overs) 295

Fall of wkts: 1-51 2-84 3-159 4-178 5-242 6-250 7-265 8-289 9-289

Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 18-6-48-0, Alamgir Kabir 13-3-61-0 (nb-4), Khaled Mahmud 21-6-42-2 (nb-1), Mohammad Rafique 45-13-118-5, Rajin Saleh 7-2-13-0, Mohammad Ashraful 2-0-9-0, Alok Kapali 2.1-1-3-3

Bangladesh (2nd innings)

Hannan Sarkar c T. Umar b S. Akhtar 7

Javed Omar c Rashid Latif b S. Akhtar 0

Habibul Bashar lbw b Umar Gul 28

M. Ashraful c Taufeeq Umar b D. Kaneria 7

Rajin Saleh not out 5

Alok Kapali not out 4

Extras (lb-1) 1

Total (for four wickets, 18.4 overs) 52

Fall of wkts: 1-7 2-20 3-43 4-43

To bat: Khaled Mashud, Khaled Mahmud, Mohammad Rafique, Mashrafe Mortaza, Alamgir Kabir

Bowling (to date): Shoaib Akhtar 6.4-1-25-2, Shabbir Ahmed 5-2-14-0, Umar Gul 3-1-3-1, Danish Kaneria 4-1-9-1.