January 23, 2007	Tuesday	Muharram 03, 1428

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PORT ELIZABETH, Jan 22: Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq ranked his team's second Test victory over South Africa on Monday as among the most important of his tenure.

Inzamam had more than one reason to be delighted with the five-wicket victory just before tea on the fourth day to level the series at 1-1.

He was adjudged Man-of the-Match after top-scoring with 92 not out in the first innings to provide a crucial 141-run lead.

“It's not easy for teams from the sub-continent to win in South Africa,” Inzamam told a news conference.

“Winning here and in Australia is very important for the boys,” he said. “It's one of my biggest wins as a captain.”

The match was Inzamam's 118th Test, and his 11th victory in his 30th match as captain.

Inzamam also praised his team's fighting qualities.

Pakistan slumped to 92 for five after lunch before Younis Khan, who scored 67 not out, and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, who was unbeaten on 57, took the match away from South Africa with an unbroken stand of 99.

“We were under pressure, but Younis and Kamran Akmal played very well,” he said. “Especially Younis, who accepted the responsibility to finish the game.”

Pakistan will go into the final Test starting in Cape Town on Friday without fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul, who will return home with hamstring and ankle injuries respectively.

Inzamam said: “We still have four fit fast bowlers, although Shoaib and Umar are our best fast bowlers.”

South African captain Graeme Smith laid the blame for the loss on poor batting.

“When you get bowled out for 124 on the first day it's going to be difficult,” he said. “We played some very good cricket to keep ourselves in the game for as long as we did.

“When they needed 90 with five wickets in hand, I think we had just as much chance as they had of winning.

“The guys stood up and showed a lot of character today, you couldn't ask for more.“But Pakistan were ahead of the game from day one, and we really had to fight to stay in it.”

Smith looked forward to the Cape Town Test, not least because his team clinched a series by beating India by five wickets there earlier this month.

“I guess it's going to be another cracker in Cape Town,” Smith said.

Smith said South Africa faced a selection dilemma with the series at stake in the final match. He admitted he had hoped his team would wrap up the series in Port Elizabeth so key bowlers Makhaya Ntini and Shaun Pollock could be rested ahead of a five-match one-day series against Pakistan, which will be followed by the World Cup in the West Indies.

“It's a massive call to go into a Test match without both of them,” said Smith. “But they have been giving their all and there is not a lot left in the tank for them.

“We need to discuss these things and sit down with them and see what they can do. The big worry now is injury. If they get a big injury now it will be costly.”—Agencies