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| October 26, 2003 | Sunday | Sha’aban 29, 1424 |
Imran’s century puts Pakistan in driving seat
FAISALABAD, Oct 25: Left handed opener Imran Farhat hit an imperious hundred as Pakistan dominated South Africa on the second day of the second and final Test at Iqbal Stadium here on Saturday.
At close the home team reached 237-2, just 41 runs behind South Africa who were dismissed earlier for 278 in their first innings.
Imran, who shared in a record third successive first-wicket stand of a hundred for Pakistan with Taufiq Umar, was unbeaten on 123 and skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq was on 16.
The South African team is down 1-0 in the two match series as Pakistan won the first Test at Lahore by eight wickets.
The 21-year-old Imran hit exquisite cover drives and reached his maiden hundred in his sixth Test with a neat flick off Paul Adams for two after 283 minutes at bat. His century came in 179 balls with 14 boundaries.
In his unbeaten 123 Imran stayed for 324 minutes and hit 17 boundaries to put Pakistan in sight of taking a match winning lead.
Imran, with his opening partner Taufiq Umar, hit 109 and 134 in the first Test in Lahore and the pair added 137 to become Pakistan’s only duo to record three century stands in successive innings of Test matches.
They joined an elite club, including England’s two sets of openers — Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe and Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook — and the Australian pair of Mathew Hayden and Justin Langer, to compile three century stands in three successive Test innings.
The duo, both from Lahore, exploited the lack of firepower in the South African bowling attack.
Imran, who scored 41 and 58 in the first Test, batted solidly to resurrect his career which went into the wilderness after his two failures against Australia in Pakistan’s neutral venue series at Sharjah last year.
“It’s a dream come true and I am happy that it not only lifted my team but would go along way in furthering my career,” said a beaming Imran, whose previous best of 63 came at Auckland in his first Test in March 2001.
Taufiq, who made 111 and 63 in the first Test, hit eight boundaries and a six before he played straight to mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Paul Adams.
His 68 came off in 195 minutes in 167 deliveries.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith was forced to turn to his orthodox left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, in his third Test, as early as the 19th over, but the bowler was heavily punished by the Pakistan batsmen, conceding 40 runs in eight overs.
Pakistan were 158-1 at tea.
South African spearhead Shaun Pollock then removed Yasir Hameed in the fifth over after tea for 21 and could have had Pakistan captain Inzamam in the next for one but saw a dependable Jacques Kallis floor a left handed catch in the slip.
Inzamam, benefiting from the lapse, helped his junior partner to add 79 runs in an unbroken third wicket stand.
Earlier South Africa, who had resumed on their first innings total of 256 for nine, were bowled out after 8.1 overs of play in the morning, fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed finishing with figures of four for 74.
The last pair of Adams and Makhaya Ntini added 22 runs before Adams fell to leg spinner Danish Kaneria for 14.
Adams edged the ball to slip where Umar took his fourth catch of the innings. Ntini finished 16 not out.
Kaneria picked up 2-68 while pacer Shabbir Ahmed returned with 4-74.
Opener Herschelle Gibbs hit 98 to save tourists’ blushes on the first day.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings, overnight 256-9):
G.C. Smith c Inzamam b Shabbir 2
H.H. Gibbs lbw b Mushtaq 98
H.H. Dippenaar c Taufiq b Shabbir 4
J.H. Kallis c Taufiq b Kaneria 10
G. Kirsten c Taufiq b Razzaq 54
N.D. McKenzie c Mushtaq b Shabbir 27
M.V. Boucher b Razzaq 27
S.M. Pollock run out 16
R.J. Peterson c sub (Misbah) b Shabbir 4
P.R. Adams c Taufiq b Kaneria 14
M. Ntini not out 16
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-1, NB-4) 6
TOTAL (all out, 99.1 overs) 278
FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-20, 3-40, 4-148, 5-195, 6-212, 7-236, 8-247, 9-250.
BOWLING: Shabbir Ahmed 26-8-74-4 (1w); Abdul Razzaq 22-4-68-2 (4nb); Danish Kaneria 33.1-10-68-2; Shoaib Malik 5-0-19-0; Mushtaq Ahmed 13-1-48-1.
PAKISTAN (1st Innings):
Taufiq Umar c Gibbs b Adams 68
Imran Farhat not out 123
Yasir Hameed c Gibbs b Pollock 21
Inzamam-ul-Haq not out 16
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-7) 9
TOTAL (for two wkts, 79 overs) 237
FALL OF WKTS: 1-137, 2-178.
TO BAT: Asim Kamal, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria.
BOWLING (to-date): Pollock 16-7-32-1; Ntini 17-3-40-0; Kallis 18-4-46-0; Peterson 8-1-40-0; Adams 17-2-54-1; Smith 3-0-16-0.—AFP/Reuters
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