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Pakistan-England second test ends in a draw

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December 4, 2000 

FAISALABAD--(UNB/AP) - Chasing 244 runs for victory in 62 overs on Sunday, the last day of the second test, England's Michael Atherton dashed Pakistan's hopes of a victory with a resolute half century guiding his team to 125 for five resulting in a draw.

Atherton played a disciplined unbeaten knock of 65 with five boundaries and together with Craig White (9 not out) survived a crucial last half an hour at the crease before both captains decided to call off the game with five overs still remaining in the match.

Earlier, Man of the Match Abdur Razzaq hit a maiden test century as Pakistan captain Moin Khan made a bold declaration at 269 for three, with 30 minutes left until lunch. The declaration came after Razzaq completed his century with the help of 12 boundaries. It gave Pakistan an overall second innings lead of 243 runs after it conceded a 26-run first innings lead.

"It was quite a difficult wicket to dismiss a team twice in the match and the bowlers had to work hard," said England's captain Nasser Hussain, who was ruled out caught behind for nine by home umpire Mian Muhammad Aslam. But television replays clearly indicated that Hussain's bat was nowhere near the ball and in fact it had deflected off his pads.

The England captain immediately smiled when Pakistan fielders appealed vociferously, but had to walk off the field when Aslam raised his finger after some hesitation.

This was Hussain's third bad call in this series. He was dubiously given out leg before in the first innings by West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor, while Aslam gave a contentious leg before verdict against Hussain when the ball was clearly pitched well outside the leg stump.

Off-spinner Arshad Khan gave Pakistan some hope of a win when he reduced England to 57 for three by the 23rd over. After star spinner Saqlain Mushtaq broke the 44-run first wicket stand and had Trescothick clean bowled, Khan snapped up the wickets of Hussain (9) and bowled Graham Thorpe for nought in just three deliveries as England stumbled to 57 for three.

However, Atherton and Alec Stewart (22) put on a gritty 51 runs for the fourth wicket before Shahid Afridi struck a double blow with his quick leg-spins. Stewart gave a bat and pad catch to Yousuf Youhana at silly point, while Graeme Hick failed to bring his bat down in time and was bowled off a delivery which kept low.

"We were hoping the wicket would help our three spinners, but it didn't. The ball didn't turn as much as we were expecting," said Pakistan skipper Moin Khan.

Overnight batsmen Razzaq and Inzamam-ul Haq (71) scored at a good pace after Pakistan resumed its second innings at 186 for two. Haq, 33 overnight, pulled leg-spinner Ian Salisbury for a big six over mid wicket on his way to his 29th test half century.

But just one ball later Salisbury got his revenge when Haq gave Graeme Hick a simple catch on the long off boundary to become the English spinner's first victim of the series.

Haq's 71-run knock came off 122 deliveries and together with Razzaq he was part of a 148-run third wicket partnership in three hours.

Razzaq, 24, survived a couple of near outs before he scampered for two runs to complete his century. Razzaq's 100 came off 225 deliveries and he hit 12 fours in his five and a half hour unbeaten century.

The decisive test of the three-match series starts in the southern port city of Karachi on Thursday.