/ 5 January 2005

Asim guides Pakistan to lead

Shane Warne took four wickets on Wednesday to move Australia within a wicket of a series sweep before Asim Kamal’s unbeaten 86 helped guide Pakistan to a 59-run lead on the fourth day of the third cricket Test.

Asim shared an unbroken 53-run 10th-wicket partnership with Mohammad Asif (12) to frustrate the Australian attack and lift Pakistan to 323 for nine at tea. Pakistan scored 151 runs in an extended middle session.

Asim stroked 15 boundaries and faced 135 balls after going to the crease with Pakistan reeling after losing two wickets on consecutive balls to be 164 for four, still needing 100 runs to make Australia bat for a second time.

Damien Martyn produced a vital run out for Australia with a direct hit as Shahid Afridi attempted a single to break a 74-run stand with Asim for the fifth wicket, sparking a collapse that saw Pakistan lose five wickets for 32 runs.

Asim remained defiant as wickets tumbled, pulling a boundary off Stuart MacGill to take Pakistan to 265.

Warne had figures of 4-111 off 26 overs and MacGill, who had a five-wicket haul in the first innings, returned 3-83.

Pakistan resumed on the fourth day at 67 for one and lost Yasir Hameed (63) — adjudged lbw to Warne with the total at 104 — before Yousuf Youhana (30) and Younis Khan (44) were out within two deliveries as Pakistan slipped to 164 for four about 20 minutes before lunch.

Younis and stand-in skipper Youhana (30) shared a 60-run third-wicket stand and Pakistan was batting with composure until Youhana tried to sweep the last ball of MacGill’s 13th over and was bowled by the exaggerated turn.

Younis was trapped lbw by Watson on the first ball of the subsequent over, giving the Australian all-rounder his first Test wicket.

Afridi (46) batted for 83 minutes with Asim, facing 52 balls and scoring nine boundaries before he was needlessly run out taking a single when Martyn threw down the stumps with a direct hit from behind square.

Kamran Akmal (4) was caught by Matt Hayden at short leg off Warne’s bowling and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (9) helped move the total to 261 before he was seventh wicket down, adjudged lbw to Warne.

Warne struck again in his next over when Shoaib Akhtar top-edged a catch to Martyn, who took a diving catch at first slip.

Danish Kaneria didn’t score before he was bowled by MacGill, leaving Pakistan with one wicket in hand and four sessions to remaining in the match.

Ricky Ponting (207) put Australia on course for a win on Tuesday when he posted his fourth Test double 100 and combined with Adam Gilchrist (113) to help his line-up reach 568 in reply to Pakistan’s 304.

Australia had an unbeatable 2-0 lead ahead of the third Test after winning the first match at Perth by 491 runs and in Melbourne by nine wickets, each with a day to spare. — Sapa-AP