Pakistan resist Panesar to draw first Test by AFP

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Ground:	Lord's Cricket Ground, St John's Wood
Scorecard:	England v Pakistan
Player:	MS Panesar, MJ Hoggard, Faisal Iqbal, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq
Event:	Pakistan in British Isles 2006

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DateLine: 17th July 2006

 

Pakistan, despite the efforts of left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, eased their way to a draw in the first Test against England at Lord's here Monday.

 

Set a record victory target of 380 on the fifth and final day, Pakistan finished on 214 for four to leave the four-match series all square at 0-0.

 

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was 56 not out and Abdul Razzaq 25 not out when a draw was agreed with eight overs left.

 

Left-arm spinner Panesar took two for 60 from 27 overs.

 

Pakistan began the final session on 151 for four in their second innings, still needing a further 229 after Panesar's double strike.

 

Inzamam was 20 not out and Razzaq one not out at the interval, a mimimum of 32 overs left for their side to get the runs - or England the six wickets they needed - for victory.

 

Earlier man-of-the-match Mohammad Yousuf, whose first innings 202 was the highest individual score by a Pakistani in a Lord's Test, fell to Panesar for 48.

 

Panesar, the first Sikh to play Test cricket for England, beat Faisal Iqbal's outside edge in his first over after being unused before lunch.

 

Yousuf rode his luck against Stephen Harmison, England's quickest bowler.

 

But it was Panesar who dismissed Yousuf, pitching the ball on leg-stump and spinning it back to have the right-hander lbw with Pakistan now 116 for three.

 

Inzamam on one, then inadvertently guided Panesar past the right hand of Marcus Trescothick at first slip before almost playing on to him when 12.

 

Panesar though struck again when Iqbal (48) was taken in the gully by Alastair Cook.

 

Pakistan's Test record total to win in the fourth innings was the 315 for nine they achieved against Australia at Karachi in 1994/95.

 

And West Indies' 344 for one in 1984 was the most any side had scored in the fourth innings to win a Lord's Test.

 

Matthew Hoggard, doubtful for this match after injuring his right hand while warming-up for England A against Pakistan, had dismissed both openers before lunch, Salman Butt lbw for a first-ball nought and Imran Farhat (18) taken at third slip by Paul Collingwood.

 

England resumed Monday on 258 for seven in their second innings, a lead of 341 which was boosted by Liam Plunkett's Test best 28.

 

But when he was out, England stand-in skipper Andrew Strauss declared with his side on 296 for eight.

 

Strauss, leading the team because of Andrew Flintoff's ankle injury, had made 128 on Sunday and so become only the third player, after Archie MacLaren in 1897/98 and Allan Lamb in 1989/90, to score a hundred in his debut Test as England captain.

 

His century was the fifth of the match.

 

In England's first innings 528 for nine declared, Collingwood struck a Test-best 186 with Cook making and Ian Bell 100 not out.

 

England, as well as Flintoff, were without fellow Ashes-winning bowlers Simon Jones (knee) and Ashley Giles (hip).

 

But Pakistan had even worse injury problems with pacemen Shoaib Akhtar (ankle), Naved-ul-Hasan (groin) and Mohammad Asif (elbow), as well as batsmen Shoaib Malik (elbow) and Younis Khan (knee), all sidelined.

 

Ultimately, neither side had the bowling firepower to take 20 wickets on a batsman's pitch although Pakistan dropped seven catches.

 

England will hope to have Flintoff back in time for the second Test which gets underway at the all-rounder's Old Trafford home ground on July 27.

 

Flintoff though must first prove his fitness in Lancashire's County Championship match away to Kent starting Tuesday.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)