Pakistan in sight of upset victory

Published>Sat, Jul 24 10 12:57 AM

Opener Imran Farhat's 67 in 95 balls put Pakistan on course for a comfortable win over Australia on the third day of the second test at Headingley on Friday.

Pakistan, chasing 180 for victory, reached 140 for three in 37 overs to edge nearer to their first test victory over the Australians in 15 years.

A Pakistan win would also deny Australia an eighth straight test win.

Azhar Ali was 47 not out and Umar Akmal was on two when the players left the field despite bright sunshine.

Left-arm fast bowler Doug Bollinger claimed the late wickets of Farhat, who was bowled, and Umar Amin for a duck. Both wickets fell caught behind with the score on 137 to give Australia a glimmer of hope.

Australia, skittled for just 88 on the opening day, fared better second time around.

Resuming at 136 for two on Friday, Steven Smith scored an enterprising 77 off just 100 balls between lunch and tea, with nine fours and two sixes, to boost Australia's hopes after Michael Clarke made 77 and captain Ricky Ponting 66. But their first innings may ultimately have cost them.

Pakistan, who will hope to banish the painful memory of Sydney in January when they were bowled out for 139 when chasing 176, began their run chase nervously.

Farhat was dropped by Shane Watson at first slip, spilling a routine catch at chest height to his right that he palmed and then grasped at as the ball escaped him.

Australia did break through soon after when Pakistan lost their dependable skipper Salman Butt for 13, caught at second slip off Ben Hilfenhaus.

Ponting was let down by his bowlers - Mitchell Johnson in particular, whose spray-gun accuracy continued to disappoint. Watson, who claimed a test best six for 33 in Pakistan's first innings, allowed ten runs off his fourth over, including two leg-glanced boundaries by Farhat to ill-directed balls outside leg stump.

Even the Australian fielding was ragged at times as Hilfenhaus's fumble on the third man boundary cost two after an Ali cut off leg-spinner Smith.

Farhat raised his half-century with a square cut off a short and wide Johnson delivery for one of his nine boundaries.

The various momentum swings in the day were appreciated by a crowd that had swelled from the first two days when empty seats were widespread at the neutral venue.

The East Stand was two thirds full as fans basked in the sun -- a far cry from the overcast conditions of the first two days when the ball dominated bat.

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