August 31, 2006	Thursday	Sha'aban 6, 1427

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CARDIFF, Aug 30: A week is a long time in cricket — indeed the battle has moved to another country — but despite the seismic disturbances of the past days, Pakistani bowlers resumed their dominance of English batsmen.

Inzamam-ul-Haq called correctly and then chose to bowl first, a decision that was inspired more by the prevailing conditions than by his knowledge of England being a difficult place to chase under lights.

But that was all the encouragement that his ‘irregular’ bowling triumvirate required at Sophia Gardens. The world has spent much of the summer hearing about Pakistan's absent, but rarely tried, first choice bowling attack of Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.

The hype has been such that this combination has become a legend in people's imaginations. For England's batsmen they had become a myth, a spook story, cricket's equivalent of Kaiser Soze, a terror that you only hear about but never see.

Well, the myth became reality in Wales and it was a reality worth waiting for. It doesn't do much good to look back ruefully over the Test series but you can be sure that England would have struggled — The Oval already proved that.

Asif continued his sensational form of the late summer with another fine spell of seam and swing. And these skills allied with intelligence make him a formidable fast bowler at a formidably young age.

The duel of the summer has belatedly become Asif versus Kevin Pietersen. A first ball dismissal at The Oval, followed by another in the Twenty20, has prompted chicken dances by delirious Pakistan supporters in the terraces and a claim that Pietersen has become Asif's bunny.

Pietersen was determined not to be bettered here. He left his first ball from Asif by thrusting his whole body in front of his stumps but after that he was indeed Asif's bunny.

Asif toyed with his pet, raising his game further for his favourite opponent. First he bowled a series of off-cutters, followed by a series of leg-cutters with a few straight balls to complete Pietersen's confusion.

England 's talisman decided the best way to clear his head was to attack. He charged Asif. But Asif saw him coming and intelligently banged it in short and fast, making a fool of Pietersen as he leapt for cover.

The next ball was a good length, outside off-stump, and Pietersen was drawn to it, producing an excellent diving catch from Kamran Akmal. Asif's bunny was back in the hutch, chicken dancers re-emerged in the stands, and England's one-man zoo was out of business again.

Asif was a delight — and Rana too impressed in bursts — but the real pleasure of the day was seeing Shoaib return to full-blown international cricket.

Over the last six months Shoaib has acquired a pony-tail — all jokes about bad hair day have been retired through overuse — and a limp, neither of which seem to prevent him bowling over 90 mph.

Shoaib's appearance may suggest he is considering a career as a pirate or a market-seller of charms and trinkets, but he should put those options on hold because on this outing he has plenty of mileage left in his current career of flamboyant fast-bowler.

The Rawalpindi Express, who some had said had run out of steam, displayed genuine pace, swinging yorkers, viscous bouncers, and clever slower balls — including an obligatory beamer — to banish any thoughts of a premature sale to the breaker's yard.

Shoaib Akhtar was back leading Pakistan's attack, back where he belongs. His 200th one-day wicket — he is the seventh fastest to that landmark —was a reminder of what a great bowler he has been for Pakistan. His performance in Cardiff was a promise that many great days lie ahead.

With Asif and Rana to share the burden, Pakistan's fast bowling has moved from a state of poverty to an embarrassment of riches within a week. It will take more than a bad Hair day to ruin the realistic advantage this combination offers Pakistan cricket.