Misbah helps Pakistan draw SA series
Thursday, 25 November 2010
ABU DHABI, Nov 24 (AFP): Misbah-ul-Haq played a captain's knock of 58 not out to salvage Pakistan a draw in the second Test against South Africa and finish the two-match series without a result.
Misbah, who scored an unbeaten 76 in the drawn first Test in Dubai last week, countered South African bowlers on a weary fifth day pitch at Abu Dhabi Stadium, taking Pakistan to 153-3 after they were set a 354-run target in 82 overs.
Misbah added 87 for an unbroken fourth wicket stand with Azhar Ali, who made 28 not out, after South Africa threatened to run away with a victory taking three wickets in the space of eight balls soon after lunch.
But Misbah, leading Pakistan for the first time in Tests, in the company of Ali foiled the away side, finishing with 10 boundaries during his 140-ball match-saving knock.
Ali, who hit three half-centuries in the previous three innings of the series, struck two boundaries and ably supported his captain.
South Africa had declared their second innings at 203-5 after batting for half an hour on the final morning, but ran out of time to enforce a result on a pitch which gave very little response to the bowlers.
Pakistan, ranked sixth in ICC (International Cricket Council) Test ranking, can take heart from their crisis-hit build-up to the series as they stopped Test's second best team from winning any of the two Tests.
Pakistan, however, have still not won any Test series since beating the West Indies at home in 2006, losing their last six and drawing four.
South Africa 584 (de Villiers 278, Kallis 105, Tanvir 6-120) and 203 for 5 dec (Amla 62, Prince 47*) drew with Pakistan 434 (Azhar 90, Shafiq 61, Rehman 60) and 153 for 3 (Misbah 58*).
Misbah, who scored an unbeaten 76 in the drawn first Test in Dubai last week, countered South African bowlers on a weary fifth day pitch at Abu Dhabi Stadium, taking Pakistan to 153-3 after they were set a 354-run target in 82 overs.
Misbah added 87 for an unbroken fourth wicket stand with Azhar Ali, who made 28 not out, after South Africa threatened to run away with a victory taking three wickets in the space of eight balls soon after lunch.
But Misbah, leading Pakistan for the first time in Tests, in the company of Ali foiled the away side, finishing with 10 boundaries during his 140-ball match-saving knock.
Ali, who hit three half-centuries in the previous three innings of the series, struck two boundaries and ably supported his captain.
South Africa had declared their second innings at 203-5 after batting for half an hour on the final morning, but ran out of time to enforce a result on a pitch which gave very little response to the bowlers.
Pakistan, ranked sixth in ICC (International Cricket Council) Test ranking, can take heart from their crisis-hit build-up to the series as they stopped Test's second best team from winning any of the two Tests.
Pakistan, however, have still not won any Test series since beating the West Indies at home in 2006, losing their last six and drawing four.
South Africa 584 (de Villiers 278, Kallis 105, Tanvir 6-120) and 203 for 5 dec (Amla 62, Prince 47*) drew with Pakistan 434 (Azhar 90, Shafiq 61, Rehman 60) and 153 for 3 (Misbah 58*).