Yousuf boosts Pakistan with unbeaten 84 by AFP

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Ground:	Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Scorecard:	Pakistan v England
Player:	Mohammad Yousuf
Event:	England in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 30th November 2005

 

Mohammad Yousuf hit a stylish half-century as Pakistan recovered Wednesday from a poor start in reply to an under par England total in the third and final Test in Lahore.

 

The middle-order batsman scored an unbeaten 84 to help his team reach 185-4 in the first innings at stumps on the second day in reply to England's modest 288 all out.

 

Nightwatchman Shoaib Akhtar had yet to open his account when bad light stopped play with 19 overs remaining.

 

Yousuf played a key role in propping up the innings after paceman Matthew Hoggard had claimed two early wickets to reduce Pakistan to 12-2 in less than five overs.

 

He added 56 for the third wicket with Salman Butt (28) and 80 for the next with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq (35), who retired hurt after being struck on the right wrist while fending off a rising ball from paceman Steve Harmison.

 

Yousuf, dropped by Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff in the slips off Harmison when on 18, made the most of the opportunity to reach his 24th Test half-century. He has so far hit 14 fours in his 149-ball knock.

 

England, trailing 1-0 in the series after losing the first Test at Multan by 22 runs, had put Pakistan under pressure with two quick wickets before being thwarted by Yousuf.

 

Pakistan lost Shoaib Malik for a duck in the first over as the opener mistimed an on-drive off Hoggard and was caught by debutant Liam Plunkett at mid-wicket.

 

Hoggard struck again with the first ball of his third over when he trapped Asim Kamal lbw for five.

 

Butt, who had scored two half-centuries and a hundred in the first two Tests, edged an outswinging delivery to wicket-keeper Geraint Jones to become seamer Plunkett's first Test victim.

 

Middle-order batsman Hasan Raza, who got a second chance after failing in the first Test, hit four boundaries before edging Harmison's to Flintoff at third slip. He contributed 21.

 

England earlier added 40 runs to their overnight total of 248-6 before being bowled out in the morning session.

 

All-rounder Paul Collingwood, 71 overnight, missed his maiden Test century by just four runs as he hooked fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to Danish Kaneria at deep fine-leg. His career-best 96 contained 15 fours.

 

Leg-spinner Kaneria had Shaun Udal caught at forward short-leg off an uppish drive in the day's first over, with the batsman failing to add to his overnight score of 10.

 

Collingwood then added 31 for the eighth wicket with Plunkett before Pakistan captured three wickets with the second new ball.

 

Fast bowler Mohammad Sami dismissed Plunkett and Harmison off successive balls to end the England innings.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)