NORTHAMPTON, July 21: The injury-hit Pakistan cricket team finally put their act together on Friday to have the hosts Northamptonshire on the ropes with some fine batting and incisive bowling on a hot day here.

At stumps on the second day of this three-day game, the tourists required just 136 runs for victory with all ten wickets in hand.

Resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 97 for 3, Pakistan soon lost skipper Younis Khan for 58, falling to a dazzling catch by Wigley off his own bowling.

Faisal Iqbal also fell cheaply before a series of fine contributions from Kamran Akmal and lower order batsmen Janisar and Rao Ifitkhar brought Pakistan within 19 runs of the hosts’ first innings score of 269 for 3 declared.

While Akmal kept the Nothants bowling at bay with a typically fluent 38, it was Rao Iftikhar whose batting was a real revelation on the day.

The ever improving tail-ender displayed fine temperament in a gutsy, unbeaten 33 and looked set for well-deserved half-century when Younis Khan declared the innings at 250 for 9.

Pakistanis looked hungry for victory as Northamptonshire openers took guard for a second time. Within minutes Nazir and Rao Iftikhar reduced the hosts to 17 for 3 with the former looking particularly sharp in the opening spell.

While wickets fell at regular intervals, the hosts also received a setback when former Indian skipper Ganguly left the field, complaining of an upset stomach on a personal score of 5.

Arshad Khan chipped in with two quick wickets after tea and Imran Farhat also struck at crucial stages to wrap up Northants for a paltry 140.

Requiring 160 for victory, the Pakistani openers had put on 24 in 7 overs till the close of play.

Scoreboard

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE (1st Innings) 269-3 declared (S.D. Peters 142, U. Afzaal 71 not out).

PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 97-3):

Salman Butt c Wessels b Pietersen 4

Imran Farhat c Peters b Phillips 4

Taufiq Umar c Wessels b Wigley 29

Younis Khan c and b Wigley 58

Faisal Iqbal lbw b Wigley 17

Kamran Akmal c Sales b Ganguly 38

Janisar Khan c Wessels b Wigley 31

Rao Iftikhar not out 33

Shahid Nazir c sub b Wigley 0

Arshad Khan run out 23

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-9) 13

TOTAL (for nine decl, 64.5 overs) 250

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-24, 3-50, 4-111, 5-142, 6-175, 7-202, 8-204, 9-250.

DID NOT BAT: Samiullah Niazi.

BOWLING: Pietersen 5.4-0-39-1; Phillips 14-2-55-1; Wigley 22.5-9-77-5; Shafayat 0.2-0-6-0; Brown 16-6-41-0; Ganguly 6-1-19-1.

Northamptonshire (2nd innings)

S D Peters lbw b Iftikhar 0

B M Shafayat c Farhat b Nazir 2

M H Wessels lbw b Nazir 9

S C Ganguly retired out 5

R A White lbw b Iftikhar 11

U Afzaal c Iftikhar b Nazir 8

D J G Sales lbw b Farhat 15

BJ Phillips st Akmal b Arshad 39

C Pietersen not out 20

DH Wigley c Samiullah b Farhat 14

JF Brown c Iftikhar b Arshad 4

EXTRAS (B-6, LB-4, NB-3) 13

TOTAL (all out, 38.3 overs) 140

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-6, 3-17, 4-36, 5-30, 6-43, 7-84, 8-99, 9-124, 10-140

BOWLING: Rao Iftikhar 5-1-19-2; Shahid Nazir 7-2-33-3(2nb); Janisar Khan 4-1-8-0; Samiullah Niazi 7-1-24-0(1nb); Arshad Khan 10.3-2-31-2; Imran Farhat 5-1-15-2

Pakistan (2nd innings)

Salman Butt not out 15

Imran Farhat not out 9

TOTAL (for no loss, 7 overs) 24

TO BAT: Taufeeq Umar, Faisal Iqbal, Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal, Janisar Khan, Rao Iftikhar, Arshad Khan, Shahid Nazir, Samiullah Niazi

BOWLING (to-date): Wigley 4-1-15-0; Phillips 3-1-9-0.—Agencies