The Hindu : Sport : Pakistan recovers after Razzaq blitz

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006

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Pakistan recovers after Razzaq blitz

Ted Corbett

NOTTINGHAM: I have never been sure that cricket was a funny game but today's one-day international was absolutely hilarious. At Trent Bridge Pakistan, which has dominated the series against England, was six for 117 in the 31st over and went on to 235 after an exhibition of power hitting by Abdul Razzaq. The Pakistan innings began as if the rest of the series had been a dream but it finished with 85 from the last seven overs.

Did Inzamam-ul-Haq err in batting on a day that helped the England bowlers to the extent that Andrew Strauss had at least one slip until the last four overs of the innings? Who would have thought that after the swing bowlers had made the break through the spinners would take three wickets in 11 balls? Did anyone expect to see Kevin Pietersen return good figures? Only if the same wise man thought the promising Stuart Broad would be hit around so freely; or that Michael Yardy would take three for 24, the best bowling by an England spinner on debut.

Inzamam put in England in the three previous games and his master batsmen chased down the runs twice; the first game was a no result. Perhaps he thought a chill September evening might be worse for batsmen. Even he cannot have anticipated the wreckage spread by Razzaq.

Damage control

After the top three were out for 41 — including Shahid Afridi with 23 that began with a six and ended with a bull's eye lbw — Inzamam did his best to retrieve the position with 47 from only 56 balls and a stand of 74 in 19 overs with Mohammad Yousuf.

Pakistan began brightly thanks to Afridi but when three had gone Inzamam and Yousuf had no alternative but to play tip-and-run. To see these two batting together is to be reminded of old ladies on high heels in the sand; as far as they are concerned trotting is the new gallop. Neither will ever be known as Mr. Perpetual Motion; yet both may win prizes for the artistry of their stroke play.

Yardy came on at 115 for three and bowled Yousuf. Two balls later he had Shoaib Malik caught and bowled and when Jamie Dalrymple caught Inzamam off his own bowling in the next over, to leave Pakistan 117 for six, it looked as if the innings might collapse.

Cometh the hour; cometh Razzaq, underestimated and often overlooked.

Helped by the tail-enders he nudged the Pakistan score to a height undreamed of an hour earlier and offered the outside chance of victory if Mohammad Asif bowled as well as Jon Lewis.

Brutal assault

Razzaq's final assault on Lewis, who had bowled his first eight overs for 22 runs and the wickets of Mohammad Hafeez and Younis Khan, fresh from a Rose Bowl century, for nought, meant the Pakistan bowlers had a total to defend. At last Strauss was forced to get rid of the slip but Razzaq hit Sajid Mahmood for six into the crowd at cow shot corner as he completed top score and took Pakistan beyond 200.

The Pakistan section of the crowd broke off their chanting to cheer Razzaq as he went to fifty off 56 balls with a second six; now no-one was nearer than the square leg umpire as 26 flew from the over.

Razzaq hit two sixes far into the crowd with a shot that might be disdained by the village blacksmith; although the smith might have admired the power.

Twenty one, including two huge sixes off the last two balls, from the final over.

Funny, magnificent cricket.

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