PAKISTAN CRUISE ALONG
Much as I'd like to avoid writing about it, the urge is simply irresistable. Here was India - the star-studded batting team. We had a spectacular Pathan showing, a hat-trick no less. The total was the entirely surmountable 245.
And we crumbled. Just how does one explain it? Not Sehwag, not Sachin, not Dhoni. Some saving grace came in the form of the Sourav Ganguly-Yuvraj Singh partnership. Then Pathan followed his five-wicket haul with an aggressive 40 with the bat.
Together with Zaheer Khan, they helped team India close the gap by adding a respectable 56 for the ninth wicket and taking the total to 238.
Pakistan wasn't going to repeat their first innings performance. Openers Salman Butt and Imran Farhat then scored half centuries to help seize control against India. Both openers fell within the space of 23 runs, but stand-in captain Younis Khan (25 not out) and Mohammad Yousuf (30 not out) ensured the hosts did not let their lead slip away.
At the end of the second day's play not only had Pakistan established a commanding lead of 180 runs with 8 wickets in hand, they simply played better cricket when it came to the crunch.
Action on Day 3 gets underway soon, I have no lilt in my stride, should I just sleep through this match that is increasingly shows signs of slipping away?
And we crumbled. Just how does one explain it? Not Sehwag, not Sachin, not Dhoni. Some saving grace came in the form of the Sourav Ganguly-Yuvraj Singh partnership. Then Pathan followed his five-wicket haul with an aggressive 40 with the bat.
Together with Zaheer Khan, they helped team India close the gap by adding a respectable 56 for the ninth wicket and taking the total to 238.
Pakistan wasn't going to repeat their first innings performance. Openers Salman Butt and Imran Farhat then scored half centuries to help seize control against India. Both openers fell within the space of 23 runs, but stand-in captain Younis Khan (25 not out) and Mohammad Yousuf (30 not out) ensured the hosts did not let their lead slip away.
At the end of the second day's play not only had Pakistan established a commanding lead of 180 runs with 8 wickets in hand, they simply played better cricket when it came to the crunch.
Action on Day 3 gets underway soon, I have no lilt in my stride, should I just sleep through this match that is increasingly shows signs of slipping away?
posted by Read@Peace | 4:26 AM
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