September 03, 2006	Sunday	Sha'aban 9, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

LONDON, Sept 2: Pakistan had demons to banish at Lord's, and with a flick of a coin Andrew Strauss helped banish them. Inzamam-ul-Haq, whose tossing has been exemplary in this one-day series, asked England to bat again under overcast, blustery conditions.

But the conditions were not quite the issue. In 1999's World Cup final, Wasim Akram won the toss and batted first. Pakistan were humiliated. The NatWest Series final in 2001 found Waqar Younis in charge but the manner of defeat was the same. Inzamam must have logged those embarrassments deep within his impregnable brain.

Wearing the lime-green one-day outfit that seems to suit Pakistan best, the batting line-up faced a tricky total in helpful bowling conditions. Their progress was helped by Younis Khan, a player whose elastic joints help him perform fluidly in the field, where he finished England's innings with a pinpoint run-out, and with the bat.

After Pakistan's openers encouraged doubts that their techniques are too rigid to flourish in swinging and seaming conditions, Younis took the attack to England. His first ball was short, an early weakness according to England, and was pulled emphatically through mid-wicket. He followed these with pulls and cuts and general energy and joy de vivre.

In these bowler-friendly conditions he required some luck in missing very good deliveries and being caught behind off a no-ball, which was probably a fair delivery, but Younis rode his luck to set off Pakistan's charge.

Once again, the team's prize opening bowlers did not fail to satisfy. Mohammad Asif's spell from the Nursery End was only broken by the rain and conceded a miserly ten runs. As sure as day follows night, Asif's first wicket brought in Kevin Pietersen, who on this occasion decided he would play watchfully against his nemesis.

Interestingly, England's main man looked just as uncomfortable performing an exhibition of patience against Asif as he did exhibiting his attacking wares. There is certainly something about Asif that perturbs Pietersen. It may be his extra height, his unerring length, or his ability to move the ball in every direction imaginable. It may indeed be a combination of all three.

But just as it looked as if Pietersen had weathered Asif's storm, he attempted an optimistic pull that ballooned to third man where Rana Naved-ul Hasan made his most important contribution by taking a fine running and falling catch.

With apologies for repeating myself, chicken dancers began clucking in the stands and Pietersen returned to his hutch that carries the legend: "This bunny belongs to M. Asif esq, Pakistan."

The beauty of Pietersen is that he gives great pleasure while he is batting and no less pleasure to the opposition when he is dismissed.

Asif may have been impressively tight but Shoaib Akhtar was explosive. Rikki Clarke, England's rookie all-rounder, this week made the unwise admission that the Rawalpindi Express is the fastest bowler he has ever faced. From then on it seemed inevitable that Shoaib would dismiss him, and he did in a ferocious final over of swing, speed, and an intimidating full-length. He also delivered Darren Gough a first hand lesson in bowling at the death, as England's reverse-swing expert was so mesmerised by a perfect yorker that he failed to move his bat.

As brilliant as Asif is, call me a hopeless romantic but no Pakistan team is complete without a tear-away right-arm fast bowler capable of bowling swinging yorkers at over 90mph per hour. First was Imran Khan, then Waqar Younis, and now Shoaib. The PCB must ensure that his successor is being groomed even now. It is an extra dimension that quickens the pulse of spectators and opposing batsmen.

Pakistan have gone a long way towards banishing their Lord's one-day demons. England, meanwhile, seem clueless how to do the same with Pakistan's latest demon opening bowlers.