/ 17 July 2006

Pakistan play for the draw

Captain Inzamam ul-Haq steered Pakistan to the safety of a draw in the first Test against England at Lord’s on Monday with an unbeaten 56 in his team’s 214-4 on the final day.

Pakistan, set 380 to win from 80 overs after Andrew Strauss declared the England second innings closed at 296-8, made no effort to go for the runs after swing bowler Matthew Hoggard dismissed both openers with only 33 on the board.

Left arm spinner Monty Panesar dismissed Faisal Iqbal and Mohammad Yousuf for 48 each in the afternoon session to give England a glimmer of hope at tea.

But Inzamam looked supremely untroubled by any of the England bowlers to reach his 44th Test half-century from 95 deliveries with six boundaries. — Reuters