Pak Aus T 2 Day 3 Stumps: Pak Needs 40 More Runs, Despite Steven Smith's Belligerence

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Sreelata YellamrazuJul 23 2010

Steven Smith prolonged the fightback. But Pakistan must feel virtually secure, needing forty more runs on the fourth day to make sure they square the series 1-1 at the end of the third day's play of the second Test of the Pakistan Australia Test series at Headingley, Leeds.

ricky ponting imran farhat

steven smith half century

When Australia lost their fifth wicket before lunch, Australia were still behind Pakistan's first innings lead of 170 runs by six runs. And it did not look like Australia could manage enough to trouble Pakistan for the final innings of the match.

But that was before Steven Smith showed that he was not only a useful leg spinner but also, a belligerent batsman who would not give up without a fight. Leave alone his bowling, his batting, yielding seventy-seven, would have greatly hartened the Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, because it gave his bowlers more runs that they would have imagined to fight back, especially after Mohammad Aamer broke the top order resistance with four wickets.

Pakistan though were determined not to let the debacles such as that in the Sydney Test down under get to them. Instead Imran Farhat led the way to make sure that Pakistan would negotiate the tricky target of 180 runs after Australia made 349 in their second innings, way better than their first innings total of eighty-eight.

Farhat's innings of sixty-seven runs can be put in perspective when the man behind Pakistan's run making, the Pakistan captain, Salman Butt, was actually dismissed too early with the score of twenty-seven. However, Australia would have to wait for 110 runs more before they have a double celebration. Farhat took Pakistan past the tentative mini targets to a secure position from which Pakistan should not lose the match.

Doug Bollinger gave Australia something to cheer about when he dismissed Farhat and Umar Amin in quick succession. However, Azhar Ali was holding his own, batting on forty-seven as Pakistan finished the day on 140/3. This should be an early wrap, if they can get past the morning hiccups.

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