Yousuf leads Pakistan to draw

November 24, 2006 12:00am
Article from: Herald-Sun





PAKISTAN'S Mohammad Yousuf missed a double century by nine runs as the second Test against West Indies in Multan ended in a high-scoring draw.

Yousuf made 191, his record-equalling seventh hundred of the year, putting on 152 runs for the sixth wicket with Abdul Razzaq (80) as Pakistan reached seven for 461 before play was called off after tea.

Both fell in identical fashion to casual shots in the final session, caught by Shivnarine Chanderpaul at short mid-wicket off left arm spinner Dave Mohammed.

Razzaq hit eight fours and one six in his 117 balls knock for his seventh half century while Yousuf faced 344 balls and hit 21 fours in his 424 minutes knock.

Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0 after a nine-wicket win in the first Test in Lahore.

Pakistan made 357 in its first innings in the drawn Test before skipper Brian Lara scored a magnificent 216 to spearhead a reply of 591.

Yousuf, who was 176 at tea, also missed a double hundred in Lahore by eight runs.

He completed his 21st career century and joined West Indian Viv Richards and Sri Lankan Aravinda de Silva in the elite list of batsmen who have hit seven hundreds in a calender year.

His 1562 runs in 10 Tests in the year are second to Richards' 1710 runs in 11 matches in 1976.

Before this year, Yousuf had scored 14 hundreds in seven years of international cricket.

The West Indies started the day hoping for an upset win with Pakistan on 2-212, still 21 runs in arrears.

When Imran Farhat (76), Inzamam-ul-Haq (10) and Shoaib Malik (4) fell before lunch there was a faint chance of the visitors being able to chase a reachable total on the flat batting track.

But Yousuf and Razzaq dented those hopes with their stand. Pakistan led by 227 runs when the match ended.

- Reuters

Surprised. I thought Pakistan would have had the upper hand against the W.I. especially as they`re playing at home.