Batting woes for Pakistan as Zimbabwe win
HARARE, Sept 14 (AFP) - Pakistan’s batting woes returned to haunt
them as Zimbabwe pulled off a dramatic 24-run win to level the series on
the fifth day of the second Test at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
Inexperienced Zimbabwe fast bowler Tendai Chatara took five for 61 as
Pakistan were bowled out for 239 despite an unbeaten 79 by Pakistan
captain Misbah-ul-Haq.
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Thrill to get a wicket..... Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya (R)
rushes to celebrate a wicket with bowler Brian Vitori (C) on
the fourth day of the second test match between Pakistan and
Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on September 14, 2013.
AFP |
“The batting is a bit of a worry,” said Misbah, looking ahead to
Pakistan’s next Test series, against world champions South Africa in the
United Arab Emirates next month.
“All the batsmen have to learn from their mistakes. You can’t win
Test matches with twenties and thirties. You have to score big runs like
Younis Khan did in the first Test.”
Younis scored the only century of the series, an unbeaten 200 in the
first Test, which Pakistan won by 221 runs at the same venue.
Misbah and opening batsman Khurram Manzoor both scored two
half-centuries in the second Test, while Younis contributed 77 in the
first innings. But the rest of the batting failed against the spirited
Zimbabwean attack.
“Zimbabwe deserved the victory,” said Misbah. “They played excellent
cricket in the first Test as well. From the start they were positive and
they kept us under pressure throughout the game.”
Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor praised his team. “It takes a lot of
character to come back from a big loss. Beating a world-class team is a
wonderful feeling.”
He said the bowlers had performed particularly well considering the
team did not have a bowling coach.
Taylor said Zimbabwe’s performance in the first Test, in which they
were on top for much of the match, had shown the importance of not
relaxing. “Even though we won the Test we learnt a lot from the way
Pakistan went about playing.”
It was only Zimbabwe’s fifth win against a major Test nation - their
third against Pakistan - and their most significant victory since they
beat India in 2000/01.
Resuming at 158 for five, Pakistan suffered an early blow when
Chatara trapped Adnan Akmal leg before wicket with only five runs added.
Akmal, who made 20, went back to a ball which angled in towards his
stumps.
Abdur Rehman scored 16 in a seventh wicket partnership of 34 with
Misbah, who was content to continue to bat watchfully, as he had done on
the fourth afternoon, before Rehman was caught behind off Tinashe
Panyangara.
Chatara returned to the attack and immediately claimed the wicket of
Saeed Ajmal in almost identical fashion to the way he dismissed Akmal,
with the batsmen going back to a ball which cut back sharply and hit him
on the pads.
Misbah faced 161 balls in reaching 58 at lunch. He stepped up the
pace after the interval, keeping the strike with singles in the first
two overs from Chatara and Brian Vitori, then taking 11 runs off an over
from Chatara, including two boundaries. Two more fours came from
Vitori’s next over.
The second four off Vitori meant, however, that Junaid had to face
the second new ball, which was taken with 26 runs needed. Chatara had
Junaid caught at gully with the fourth delivery.
Last batsman Rahat Ali edged a single off the next delivery. Seeking
to retain the strike, Misbah pushed the last ball of the over into the
covers but sent Rahat back as Hamilton Masakadza swooped to pick up the
ball.
Rahat was unable to regain his crease and was run out comfortably,
sparking exuberant celebrations by the Zimbabwe players.
SCOREBOARD
ZIMBABWE - 1ST INNINGS 294
PAKISTAN - 1ST INNINGS 230
ZIMBABWE - 2ND INNINGS 199
PAKISTAN – 2ND INNINGS
Khurram Manzoor c Waller b Utseya 54
Mohammad Hafeez c Vitori b Chatara 16
Azhar Ali b Chatara 00
Younis Khan b Vitori 29
Misbah-ul-Haq not out 79
Asad Shafiq c Mutumbami b Utseya 14
Adnan Akmal lbw b Chatara 20
Abdur Rehman c Mutumbami b Panyangara 16
Saeed Ajmal lbw b Chatara 02
Junaid Khan c Waller b Chatara 01
Rahat Ali run out (Masakadza) 01
Extras (lb2 nb1, w4) 07
Total (81 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Hafeez), 2-46 (Azhar)
3-90 (Manzoor), 4-100 (Younis)
5-133 (Shafiq), 6-163 (Akmal)
7-197 (Rehman), 8-214 (Ajmal)
9-238 (Junaid), 10-239 (Rahat Ali)
Bowling: Panyangara 16-3-43-1
Vitori 22-5-69-1 (1w)
Chatara 23-2-61-5 (1nb, 3w)
Utseya 19-2-62-2
Masakadza 1-0-2-0
Match situation: Zimbabwe won by 24 runs
Toss: Zimbabwe
Umpires: Steve Davis (AUS), Ranmore Martinesz (SRI)
TV umpire: Owen Chirombe (ZIM)
Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND) |
