Manzoor ton ensures Pakistan lead

News

Cricket365
October 15, 2013

Pakistan opener Khurram Manzoor batted for almost an entire day to score an unbeaten maiden Test century and put Pakistan well on top at the end of day two of the first Test match at Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Pakistan finished the day on 263 for three (Khurram 131 not out off 244 balls with 14 fours) for an overall lead of 14 runs after the Proteas had been dismissed for 249 in the first four overs of the day.

The day could not have gone better for Pakistan as they started by removing centurion Hashim Amla off the second ball of the day and needed only 19 deliveries in all to wrap up the South African first innings for the addition of a further four runs.

Thereafter Pakistan emphasized their control as Khurram and new cap Shan Masood (75 off 140 balls, 8 fours) added a vital 135 runs for the opening wicket. They were the first Pakistan opening pair to score a century stand since January 2012.

JP Duminy eventually broke the stand and it looked as though the Proteas might get back into the game as they took three wickets for 43 runs in 17 overs including that of the experienced Younis Khan.

But Khurram and Misbah-ul-Haq added an unbroken 85 runs in 23.2 overs to the close as Pakistan maintained a run rate that was comfortably above three to the over and was well over four in the final hour of play as the bowlers tired.

The Proteas' spinners were not able to exercise the necessary control as they both conceded four runs to the over which made it difficult for skipper Graeme Smith to apply much pressure.

The picks of the attack were Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel who both picked up a wicket and were miserly as far as their respective economy rates were concerned.

The Proteas were able to take the second new ball four overs from the close of play and they will be relying heavily on Dale Steyn and Philander to make some early inroads on day three to get them back into the match.

The pair bowled very much better with the second new ball than they had done with the first and they beat the bat enough times – Pakistan captain Misbah also edged Philander just short of Smith at first slip – to give them encouragement for a fresh assault.