The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Youhana dons the skipper's role perfectly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 27, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Youhana dons the skipper's role perfectly

MELBOURNE, DEC. 26. Stand-in captain Yousuf Youhana blazed his maiden hundred against Australia as Pakistan rebounded from a drubbing in Perth to reach 318 for six at stumps on Sunday, the opening day of the second cricket Test.

Pakistan was cruising at 286 for three before losing three late wickets, with Jason Gillespie snaring wickets in consecutive overs with the second new ball after Shane Warne had Youhana stumped by Adam Gilchrist for 111.

It was a major improvement on the two failures in last week's first Test in Perth, where Pakistan was skittled out for 179 and 72 and lost by 491 runs.

Youhana, elevated to the captaincy when Inzamam-ul-Haq pulled out of the Boxing Day match with a lingering back problem, went to the crease with Pakistan at 94 for three after a mini top-order collapse.

Record stand

He shared a record 192-run partnership with Younis Khan (87) and faced 134 balls, striking 11 boundaries and four sixes to raise his 12th career Test hundred before he was stumped down the leg-side.

Youhana and Younis' partnership surpassed the 177 between Youhana and Saeed Anwar at Brisbane in 1999 as Pakistan's record for the fourth wicket against Australia.

At stumps, Kamran Akmal was unbeaten on 16 and Abdul Razzaq batted for 36 minutes and was unbeaten on one.

In Inzamam's absence, Youhana won the toss and opted to bat in a bid to erase some bitter memories from the series-opener.

In his only other Test as captain, Youhana guided Pakistan to an eight-wicket win over South Africa at Lahore in October last year. ``It's very special for me because against the best bowling attack I made a hundred,'' said Youhana.

The first Christian to captain Pakistan's national line-up, Youhana said the timing of the match was good for him.

The timing also makes Boxing Day one of the biggest days on the sporting calendar in Australia because it coincides with national holidays for Christmas celebrations.

More than 61,500 fans were at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

The extra work as captain didn't bother him, Youhana added, because he enjoyed filling Inzamam's role as the leading batsman and skipper.

The Australian bowlers, so dominant on the super-fast pitch in Perth, had a tougher task against a more determined and disciplined batting by Pakistan on a comparatively docile wicket at the MCG.

Familiar conditions

Youhana said the Pakistan batsmen had worked hard on their techniques, but also benefited from conditions which were more similar to their slow pitches on the sub-continent than the quick, bouncy wicket last week at the WACA.

Some fielding lapses by the Australians also helped Pakistan's cause, with Matthew Hayden dropping two catches at gully off Glenn McGrath's bowling. He dropped Salman Butt (70) in the first over and Youhana when he was on 43.

Pakistan's wickets tumbled in threes. After an 85-run opening stand, Pakistan slipped to 94 for three in the middle session. Imran Farhat (20) was first out — 15 minutes before the lunch interval — edging Michael Kasprowicz to Ricky Ponting at second slip.

Yasir Hameed (2) was adjudged lbw to Gillespie in the first over after lunch and Salman's maiden half-century ended in the following over when he was run out attempting a second run against Michael Clarke's throw from third man.

Late in the evening session, Warne broke through after conceding 97 runs to take a vital wicket to spark another mini collapse.

Gillespie had Younis Khan caught behind with the total at 298 and all-rounder Shoaib Malik (6) caught at second slip by Ponting as Pakistan slipped to 301 for six — AP

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