Pakistan openers tilt balance

Karachi: The battle to wrest control is on at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Pakistan openers Salman Butt 53 (74b, 10x4) and Imran Farhat 57 (87b, 10x4) provided an excellent start after the hosts took a seven-run first innings lead over the Indians on the second day of the third and final Test yesterday.

It was a day when a batsmen's nerves were tested to the full. Pakistan would have been in a commanding position had they fielded better and taken their catches. India were let off the hook after being reduced to 181 for 8 in reply to Pakistan's total of 245.

Though Pakistan regained the upper hand with a 109 run opening partnership, the supposedly out of form Sourav Ganguly provided India with a vital break through.

Ganguly trapped a well settled Butt leg before and Irfan Pathan struck immediately with Farhat mis-timing a pull to Tendulkar at short mid wicket.

At close, Pakistan were 173 for two. With 180 runs ahead and eight wickets in hand, the hosts have done well, especially in the absence of skipper Inzamam- ul-Haq.

A huge partnership from the two Ys Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf today could place Pakistan on the driver's seat. The pair have already added 53 runs for the third wicket.

The day began with Ganguly displaying his fighting qualities yet again to steer India through a crucial and difficult phase of the game. Yuvraj Singh began the battle with a straight drive off Abdul Razzaq, but it was Ganguly's sparkling square drive off Shoaib Akhtar that received a loud applause. Ganguly and Yuvraj picked the right balls to hit.

The pitch was expected to be hostile early in the morning, but the Pakistan bowlers failed to extract movement off the wicket and relied more on pace. Yuvraj and Ganguly kept the scoreboard moving and put on 50 runs in just 61 balls.

When India were 108 runs short of the Pakistan total, Ganguly suffering a sudden lapse in concentration top edged a pull off Razzaq into the hands of Mohammad Asif at deep fine leg for 34 (53b, 6x4). Ganguly and Yuvraj had put on 81 runs in 106 balls.

It was left to Yuvraj to try and steer India to a safe position but he added just 28 runs with Mahendra Dhoni before being trapped leg before for 45 (74b, 8x4).

Dhoni and Pathan, the pair which destroyed the Pakistan attack in Faisalabad, failed to rise to the challenge. Razzaq maintained an excellent length and had Dhoni caught behind. He could have had Kumble too in the same over, but Akmal dropped the catch. Pathan then escaped being caught at second slip by Younis Khan.

Kumble held on for 37 minutes to score seven runs before Akhtar trapped him leg before.

At 181 for 8, it looked like India would be bowled out for less than 200. Then came some poor fielding by the Pakistanis and this let India off the hook.

Khan and Pathan steered India closer to the Pakistan total with a 56-run partnership.

When India were eight runs short of the Pakistan total, Pathan played into the hands of Yousuf at long off while driving Afridi.