Danish Kaneria ruled out for six weeks

Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, will be out of action for six weeks after undergoing a finger surgery. Kaneria, contracted to Essex, will miss their remaining matches of the season.

Kaneria fractured his finger in Essex's County Championship game against Worcestershire on August 22, and flew back home for the operation, which took place on Wednesday.

"There was a fracture in my right hand ring finger which I sustained while taking a caught-and-bowled chance,"

he told Reuters.

"I have had the surgery to set it right," he said. "Hopefully I should be bowling again after six weeks."

Kaneria was disappointed to be missing out, with him unlikely to play for Pakistan this year. A regular in the Test team, Kaneria had taken 220 wickets in 51 Tests, but has only featured in 18 ODIs, the last of which came in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.

"Already Pakistan is not playing a Test series this year and we are short of cricket,"

he said.

"The injury has really come at a bad time."

Pakistan haven't played a Test this year, after Australia postponed their visit citing security concerns. In July, Kaneria had dismissed rumours that he was switching allegiance to England. He had been reprimanded by the PCB in April for criticising them after he was demoted to category C among Pakistan's centrally-contracted players.

Kaneria had not been included in Pakistan's preliminary squad of 30 for the Champions Trophy, which has been deferred to 2009.

I’d prefer to play for England if ignored: Kaneria

Pakistan cricket team’s leg-spinner Danish Kaneria said that if he would continuously be ignored then he would prefer to play for England.

In an interview with an England newspaper, Danish Kaneria said that if he is not selected for Pakistan then he may prefer to represent England in cricket.

He said that he is 27 years of age and still has much cricket in him.

Kaneria said that he also wants to play one-day cricket for Pakistan but he has so far been played only 18 ODIs.

Taking disciplinary action against him in February this year, the Pakistan Cricket Board had shifted him from ‘B’ category to ‘C’ of the central contract.

Kaneria said that now he has focused all his attention to county cricket and he does not know what would be his future in Pakistan cricket.

Shoaib Akhtar banned for five years, Kaneria warned

Pakistan Cricket Board has banned maverick paceman Shoaib Akhtar from playing cricket for five years on Tuesday for violating the players' code of conduct.

The 32-year-old Akhtar appeared before a disciplinary committee earlier Tuesday charged with publicly criticising the country's board. He was already on two years' probation for hitting a teammate with a bat.

The ban effectively ends the controversial eleven-year career of the world's fastest bowler, which has been plagued by injuries, discipline problems and a doping scandal in 2007.

"The committee has recommended a five year-ban on Shoaib Akthar. He will be ineligible to play in Pakistan or to play for Pakistan anywhere else in the world,"

PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf told reporters.

"The board has lost confidence in Shoaib Akhtar and therefore felt that his presence in the field was damaging to the Pakistan team, for Pakistan players and for the image of Pakistan cricket,"

Ashraf added.

However the PCB chief said that Akhtar would still be able to play for other teams around the world, clearing the fast bowler to play for the
lucrative Indian Premier League next month.

Ashraf added that it was a

"sad day for me and for Shoaib Akhtar. He is such a talented player."

The PCB chairman said Akhtar had the right to appeal the decision.

Because he was already on probation, Akhtar faced a theoretical life ban for slamming the PCB for dual standards on awarding central contracts in January this year.

In October last year, Akhtar was fined 3.4 million rupees (52,000 dollars) and banned for 13 matches for hitting fellow paceman Mohammad Asif with a bat, just days before the start of the Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa.

Spinner Danish Kaneria, who also faced a charge of criticising the PCB, was severely reprimanded, Ashraf said.

Kaneria had criticised his demotion from category "B" to "C" in the central contract in an online column. He later blamed a newspaper for publishing his column out of context.

"Since this was Kaneria's first offense on discipline, he has been severely reprimanded and barred from issuing any press statements,"

Ashraf said.

Akhtar was dropped from Pakistan's list of 15 contracted players in January after the paceman had another disappointing year, plagued by injures and discipline problems.

Instead, Akhtar was offered a special retainer deal, which he refused to sign.

The mercurial fast bowler last played for Pakistan in the third and final Test against India at Bangalore in December last year. He broke down with back trouble and was blamed for Pakistan's 1-0 defeat in the series.

He was not selected for Pakistan's five-match series against Zimbabwe in February and was omitted from next month's first two limited overs international against Bangladesh.

Akhtar took 178 wickets in 46 Tests, while his tally in 138 one-day matches stands at 219.

Danish requests PCB not to stop him from county cricket

Test Leg Spinner Danish Kaneria said that the newspapers have distorted his statement which he gave to a website.

Talking to Geo News, he said he was sorry that his matter is before PCB Discipline Committee and that he did not give any statement against Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), adding he is playing international cricket for eight years and there has never been any conflict with him in the centre.

Danish Kaneria requested the PCB not to stop him from playing country cricket, adding cricket is his source of income.

He said that the selection committee does not select him for one-dayers and he has not been sent for IPL; accordingly, playing county would be a suitable option for him.

Danish said he was benefited from bowling in country cricket.

Shoaib, Kaneria asked to explain statements

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially asked Shoaib Akhtar and Danish Kaneria to explain recent statements the pair made in the media about the newly-awarded central contracts.

Kaneria and Shoaib suffered in the new list announced last month by the board; the former was demoted from category B to C, while the latter was taken off the list altogether and only handed a retainership.

In his column on bigstarcricket.com, Kaneria said he felt he deserved more respect as an established senior player in the side and was not satisfied with the board's explanation of his demotion. "I am not complaining and frustrated for financial reasons, it is just an embarrassment for me and it pains me very much. I have spoken with the PCB but there does not seem to be any sign that my situation is going to change.

"[PCB] officials have said that part of the reason for my demotion is that I only play Test cricket, but this is not my fault. I have always been desperate to be given a chance to prove myself as a wicket-taker in ODIs but never have had that opportunity on an extended basis. My behaviour has always been good on tours, I am rarely injured, what more do I have to do?"

Shoaib, meanwhile, has refused to accept the retainership on offer to him and also criticised the board for inconsistency in their policies over the weekend. These are the comments over which the board has pulled him up.

"I was made a scapegoat after Pakistan lost the Test and ODI series in India,"

he said.

"I bowled my heart out with 17 overs during the Bangalore Test just to hear that I was unfit and now, suddenly, the PCB considers me fit enough to lead a team in the Pentangular Cup.

"I wanted to play the ODI series against Zimbabwe for getting match practice but was dropped from the team on the flimsy pretext that I was unfit."

He later questioned how a player who had barely played any cricket over the last few months could retain a category A contract, while others who had played were demoted.

"It is all double standards,"

he concluded.

Letters have been sent to the players asking them to confirm these statements and explain them if needed. They have one week to respond.

Danish Kaneria faces disciplinary action

Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, may land in trouble after criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board's policy on central contracts and the board's top officials have referred his case to the disciplinary committee.

Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, said the board has taken notice of Kaneria's column on a website in which he questioned the central contracts policy after being demoted to Category C in the new list announced last month.

"We have a clear Code of Conduct and if Kaneria is found guilty of violating it then he will face strict punishment,"

Ashraf told the News. Kaneria, who has played 51 Tests, wrote in his column that he was frustrated at being bracketed with players who have played fewer matches than him, like newcomer Fawad Alam.

"I have played 51 Tests now and once I pass Abdul Qadir's 236 Test wickets, hopefully this year, I will then only have the fast bowlers ahead of me - Waqar Younis, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram,"

he wrote.

"I just feel that achievement deserves a bit more respect. I am respected more when I play at Essex."

Ashraf said the board cannot overlook public criticism of its policies by players contracted by it. Kaneria's case would be discussed by the disciplinary committee later this month.

"We devised a transparent formula to evaluate the players,"

he said.

"The players were promoted, demoted, dropped or inducted (in the central contracts list) on the basis of that formula."

He did speak on the Shoaib Akhtar saga, making it clear that the fast bowler will only be able to win back his place for the home series against Australia if he proves his fitness in this month's Pentangular Cup.

"We don't care about stars or their celebrity status. For us, the best player is one who is fit, in form and gives his best for the team,"

Ashraf said.

"As far as Shoaib is concerned, he should know the only way to get back to the team is by justifying his place and he can only do that by proving his form and fitness in the Pentangular Cup."

Ashraf rejected the impression that Shoaib's refusal to sign a retainership contract would block his re-entry to the Pakistan team.

"If he doesn't want to take the retainer, it's his decision. We won't stop him from playing for Pakistan on that ground."

Kaneria Hurting After Contract Demotion

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has vowed to "prove people wrong" when Australia visit Pakistan next month after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) demoted his contract status.

The PCB handed the 27-year-old spinner a Grade-C contract, which under the new contract system puts him among the young and inexperienced members of the team.

Kaneria has played 51 Tests for his country since making his debut against England in 2000, and has claimed 220 wickets in that time to place him fifth amongst Pakistan's all-time wicket takers.

"In one way I don't feel I have to prove myself because I have shown what I can do already, but I am keen to prove people wrong and perform well against the very best when Australia arrive in March,"

Kaneria wrote in his diary on www.bigstarcricket.com.

"It is still hurting me. I have been Pakistan's highest wicket-taker for the last four years and am now one of the top three or four in terms of seniority having made my Test debut in 2001."

"I have played 51 Tests now and once I pass Abdul Qadir's 236 Test wickets, hopefully this year, I will then only have the fast bowlers ahead of me - Waqar Younis, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram."

"I just feel that achievement deserves a bit more respect. I am respected more when I play at Essex."

He added:

"But now I find myself bracketed with players who have just come into the Pakistan system and behind players like [Umar] Gul and [Mohammad] Asif, who are great bowlers but have not been able to stay fit much in the last six months and have not played as much cricket as me."

"I am not complaining and frustrated for financial reasons, it is just an embarrassment for me and it pains me very much. I have spoken with the PCB but there does not seem to be any sign that my situation is going to change."

While Kaneria has enjoyed success at Test level, he has been largely overlooked for one-day internationals, taking just 15 wickets in 18 appearances since his debut in 2001.

"Officials have said that part of the reason for my demotion is that I only play Test cricket, but this is not my fault,"

he added.

"I have always been desperate to be given a chance to prove myself as a wicket-taker in one-day internationals but never have had that opportunity on an extended basis.

"My behaviour has always been good on tours, I am rarely injured, what more do I have to do?"

Kaneria hits out at 'lifeless pitches' in India

Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, criticised the lifeless pitches prepared by India in the recent Test series, and said they made contests less interesting.

"I am really disappointed at not having the success my team and countrymen were expecting of me, but the pitches used in India were of low bounce and did not give any support to the bowlers,"

Kaneria told AFP. Pakistan lost the three-match series 1-0 and managed to bowl out India on only two occasions.

Kaneria said the turning point of the series was Pakistan's failure to put up a fighting total in the second innings of the first Test in Delhi. After conceding a first-innings lead of 35, Pakistan mustered only 247 in their second innings, enabling India complete a six-wicket win.

"Had we scored 300 runs, we would have won the first Test and from there on it would have been difficult for India to level the series."

"The pitches in the second Test at Kolkata and third at Bangalore were playing well even on the fifth day, which demoralised the bowlers,"

said Kaneria. Despite finishing as Pakistan's leading wicket-taker in the series with 12, he was disappointed he could not achieve his target of 20 wickets.

Pakistan's next assignment is a five-match ODI series at home against Zimbabwe, with the first match in Hyderabad on January 23.

'We were competitive in all three Tests' - Malik

After 20 days of cricket including five ODIs and three Tests, several injuries and rumours about captaincy, Pakistan leave India with little to show in terms of hard results. They won two ODIs, one of which was a dead rubber, and were playing catch-up in each of the three Tests. Shoaib Malik, their captain who missed the last two Tests because of injury, thought otherwise however, suggesting their performance wasn't as bleak as the 3-2 and 1-0 scoreline in the ODI and Test series suggested.

"We were competitive in all the three Tests,"

he said after the final day's play.

"If you look at it, we played badly in the morning session on the third day of the Delhi Test, and that cost us the series. There were a lot of positives to emerge. India scored more than 600 runs not once but twice in a row and we replied with 500."

A significant reason behind Pakistan's competitiveness in the Tests was the form of Misbah-ul-Haq. He scored 464 runs in six innings and his centuries in Kolkata and Bangalore played crucial roles in Pakistan drawing the last two Tests. Malik had high praise for the batsman who stepped in to fill the gap left by Inzamam-ul-Haq.

"He was tremendous throughout the series,"

said Malik.

"He and [Kamran] Akmal played a big role in us saving the Kolkata Test. Here also, the same pair put on a very good and important stand, and that augurs well for us."

Akmal, after a poor one-day series, struck form in the Tests. His century in Kolkata complemented Misbah's and he scored an aggressive fifty in Bangalore to help Pakistan past the follow-on mark. However, his keeping in the ODIs was poor and didn't get much better in the Tests.

But Pakistan's biggest disappointment was perhaps the form of Danish Kaneria. He picked up 19 wickets in three Tests on his last visit to India and played a vital role in the series-levelling win in Bangalore. This time he hardly troubled the batsmen and, although he took 12 wickets, they cost him 52 apiece. Malik defended Kaneria saying that

"like a batsman has a bad patch, a bowler too sometimes can go through it."

The other main concern would be over the fitness of key players, an issue that hampered them through the Test series. Malik acknowledged that

"problems with physical fitness"

significantly affected their competitiveness and stressed that it was an area they needed to improve upon.

Mohammad Asif was ruled out of the series before it even began and their bowling attack was further weakened by Umar Gul's back injury and the illnesses that affected Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami before the second Test in Kolkata. Shoaib's back injury during the Bangalore Test left them with a three-man bowling attack in the first innings, allowing India to pile up an impregnable first-innings total.

Pakistan now have a long gap before their next Test series in March. It provides an ideal window to get their first-choice fast bowlers match-fit and as it is Australia who are visiting, how Pakistan fare in the series could well hinge on the fast bowlers.

Pakistan bank on pace

One man can seldom make the difference in a three-match Test series, especially one who hasn't always lived up to lofty expectations. But Shoaib Malik, Pakistan's captain, was in little doubt as to where this series against India would be won and lost. Shoaib Akhtar is effectively on probation after his antics in the build-up to the Twenty20 World Cup, but Malik believes that he could well be the X-factor that decides this most keenly fought of cricket contests.

"If we're to win the series, Shoaib and Danish [Kaneria] will have a vital role to play,"

said Malik on the eve of the game.

"Shoaib's fitness level is good. He's our trump card for sure."

Malik disputed the assertion that Shoaib hadn't really found his rhythm in the one-day series.

"He was in rhythm,"

he said.

"He was consistently bowling at 150-plus [kph]. It was I who asked him to bowl with a shorter run-up because we had some problems with time [slow over-rate]."

The allegedly slow nature of the Feroz Shah Kotla pitch could draw the sting out of Pakistani pace, but Malik wasn't too perturbed by the 22 yards.

"Whatever cricket we've seen recently, even on spinning tracks, the fast bowlers have done well,"

he said.

"So we're not too worried."

Umar Gul is battling a back strain and is rated doubtful for the Test. That should mean a Test debut for Sohail Tanvir, though it's likely to be Mohammad Sami who shares the new ball with Shoaib. Despite the failure of the four-bowler plan against South Africa, Pakistan are likely to resist the temptation to play Abdur Rehman.

Malik was confident that Kaneria could match the Indian spinners.

"I wouldn't say either team has the edge in the spin department,"

he said.

"Anil [Kumble], Harbhajan [Singh] and Murali Kartik are all very good spinners. We have Danish. But our main strength is our pace bowling."

India's pace department has been considerably weakened by the injuries to Sreesanth and RP Singh, but Malik was taking nothing for granted in the build-up to the game.

"They have called up Munaf Patel, and they already have Zaheer Khan in the team,"

he said.

"Their spin attack is strong. There might be some change in their plans but it's still a strong attack."

Ever since Saeed Anwar retired from the international arena, Pakistan have struggled to find a semblance of consistency at the top of the order, but Malik stressed that there would be no experimentation before the first game of the series.

"We have two openers [Salman Butt and Yasir Hameed] in the squad and both of them will play."

Following the reverse in the one-day series, much had been said, especially back home in Pakistan, about the lack of spirit within the team and the captain's inability to rouse his men. Malik scoffed at such suggestions.

"Things have been said because we lost,"

he said brusquely.

"If we had won, none of these issues would have been raised."

Though it counted for little in the larger scheme of things, he was happy at the manner in which Pakistan had approached the dead rubber in Jaipur.

"We'd already lost the series, but the way we played was very encouraging,"

he said.

"Whenever you win, it's good for the morale."

For Malik, it will be his second bilateral series as captain, while his counterpart, Anil Kumble, leads India in a Test for the first time at the age of 37.

"Each day you learn something when you play cricket,"

said Malik when asked whether the difference in experience would be a factor.

"He has so much experience that I don't think it'll make a big difference to him."

Pakistan haven't lost a Test series on Indian soil since Asif Iqbal's team lost 2-0 in 1979. Malik called that little statistic a powerful source of motivation, and his underdog side appear quietly confident of upsetting the odds yet again in a contest that means just a little bit more than any other.

Pakistan (likely) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Yasir Hameed, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Shoaib Malik (capt), 6 Misbah-ul-Haq, 7 Kamran Akmal (wk), 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Mohammad Sami, 10 Shoaib Akhtar, 11 Danish Kaneria.

Pakistan's Kaneria targets Tendulkar scalp

Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria said he will target all India's batsmen in the forthcoming Test series but getting the wicket that has eluded him so far -- Sachin Tendulkar -- would be a dream.

"I have not dismissed Tendulkar and perhaps this will be the last time I will be up against him so I wish to get his wicket,"

Kaneria told AFP before leaving for India on Monday.

Besides Kaneria, batsman Faisal Iqbal and paceman Mohammad Sami will join the Pakistan squad in India where the first of three Tests start in New Delhi from Thursday.

Pakistan won the fifth and final one-day game by 31 runs Sunday at Jaipur but India clinched the series 3-2.

Kaneria, 26, said playing against India was always a tough challenge.

"India pose one of the biggest challenges for us, and playing against them in their own backyard is more challenging because they have world class batsmen like Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and many others,"

he said.

The bubbly spinner has grabbed 31 wickets against India in eight Tests but has yet to dismiss Tendulkar.

"He (Tendulkar) is a master and I came close to dismissing him in the 2005 series at Mohali. I thought it was a bat-pad but the umpire thought otherwise and his wicket eluded me.

"The world knows how good a batsman Tendulkar is and it would be like an empty cupboard without his wicket so the first thing in all the innings would be to get his wicket and it's always the key."

Kaneria said he would target all Indian batsmen with the ploy he usually unfolds against the archrivals.

"Since you know Indians play leg-spin, well, you have to use a different ploy against them so I have that in my mind and I want to play my part as the main bowler and help Pakistan win the series,"

said Kaneria, only the second Hindu behind Anil Dalpat to play for Pakistan.

Kaneria said scoring big would be the key to victory.

"Since they have a very deep batting line-up the opposition needs to score big and then only you can pressurise India. If we score big then we can attack them like we did against them at Bangalore in 2005,"

said Kaneria, who has 208 wickets in 48 Tests.

Pakistan squared the series 1-1 with a come-from-behind win at Bangalore in the third Test two years ago.

Kaneria felt Pakistan will badly miss former captain Inzamam-ul Haq in the batting department.

"Inzamam was like a big brother to every player and he infused a fighting spirit in the team so not only as captain but also as a key batsman he will be missed. But we now have Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf to shoulder our batting."

The other two Tests will be played at Calcutta (November 30-Dec 4) and at Bangalore (December 8-12).

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, 2nd round, 1st day

Group A

Karachi Whites were bowled out for a modest 218 runs in their first innings on the opening day of their second-round, four-day Group A Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match by Lahore Ravi, at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium on Friday.

Karachi Whites captain Mohammad Sami, the fast bowler currently out of favour with the national selectors, won the toss and opted to bat first on a pitch that played erratically throughout the day. Still, an interesting tussle between bat and ball ensued as the proceedings continued.

Karachi Whites, with three points from their drawn match in the first round against Hyderabad, prospered through some good batting by their two centurions in Hyderabad. The experienced Afsar Nawaz top-scored with 52 runs off 131 balls with five fours. Asad Shafiq, the opener, contributed 45 off 81 balls while hitting seven boundaries. Sami himself scored a useful 31 in a 54-run sixth-wicket stand with Afsar.

Lahore Ravi captain Junaid Zia captured three wickets for 52 runs. Offspinner Kashif Shafi also chipped in with 3 for 32 while the legspinner Haafiz Saad Nasim took 2 for 38. Lahore Ravi, who were comfortably beaten by WAPDA by a nine-wicket margin on Tuesday, negotiated one over before the draw of stumps in which no runs were made.

Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan leg-spinner, captured four wickets for 64 runs as Hyderabad slumped to 193 for nine in their first innings, on the opening day of a second-round, four-day match against Habib Bank Limited, at the Niaz stadium in Hyderabad on Friday.

Playing an admirable foil was the left-arm spinner Aslam Qureshi who bagged three wickets for 29 runs in 22 overs. For Hyderabad, opener Akram Khan top scored with 97 runs while batting for five hours and facing 262 balls with eight fours.

At the Sheikhupura stadium , Multan demolished the 2005-06 champions and last season's runners-up Sialkot for a measly 100 runs. Six batsmen failed to open their account.

The left-arm pace bowler Mohammad Kashif starred with a four-wicket haul and Multan drove home the advantage with an unbroken 116-run opening stand between brothers Hammad and Usman Tariq.

At the Iqbal stadium , in Faisalabad, the home team were 243 for 9 by the day's close against National Bank of Pakistan. After five wickets had fallen for only 62 runs, Usman Arshad (62) and Mohammad Salman (61) put on 110 to propel Faisalabad to a respectable score.

Powered by a patient 83 from Ali Hussain, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) reached 239 for 7 wickets in their first innings on the first day against Pakistan Customs at the NBP Sports Complex , ground on Friday.

Raees Amjad, the seamer, ripped the top order with a four-wicket haul but Hussain held the innings together, staying at the crease for 305 minutes with four hits to the boundary. Opener Asif Zakir (41) and Ashraf Ali (49) were the other contributors. Ahmed Zeeshan was unbeaten on 24 when Adnan Malik fell for a duck on the last ball of the day.

Group B

Karachi Blues prospered through some splendid batting as they took their first innings score to 308 for four in 83 overs by the close of the opening day against Quetta at the Bugti Stadium on Friday.

The highlight of the day was a hundred by Shadab Kabir, the former Pakistan Test batsman. Kabir, 29, posted his 10th first-class century, making 136 runs off 206 balls in just short of four and three-quarter hours with 22 fours and two sixes.

He stitched together a 146-run opening partnership with Pakistan Under-19s star Ali Asad, who made 66 off only 105 balls with 11 fours, after the Karachi team had been put in to bat. Kabir then added 119 runs with Faraz Patel, who made 48 after being the Blues' top scorer in either innings in their first-round match against Rawalpindi, for the second wicket.

Amid the carnage, Quetta's experienced offspinner Naseer Khan stood out as he captured all four wickets to fall, at a personal cost of 89 runs in 26 overs.

Karachi Blues had been thrashed by a 152-run margin by Rawalpindi in their previous match played in Karachi. Quetta were not seen in the first-round action.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) suffered a setback at the hands of Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) on the opening day at the KRL stadium in Rawalpindi on Friday, as they dismissed for a modest score of 211 in their first innings.

Kamran Sajid was left holding the fort as he carried his bat through the completed innings, while scoring an unbeaten 64 off 201 balls in just short of five and a half hours with nine fours.

Right-arm seamer Bilal Asad captured four wickets for 37 runs in 14 overs for KRL.

Lahore Shalimar were bowled out for 249 runs against Islamabad at the Diamond Cricket Club ground in Islamabad. Suleman Khan top scored with 88 off 159 balls with 11 fours.

The extras amounted to an exact 50 that included 20 no balls and 11 wides. The left-arm seamer Saad Altaf took 4 for 81 but gave away 10 no balls and seven wides. The debutant fast-medium bowler Shahzad Azam, who was roped in after Azhar Mahmood opted out, took a wicket with his first ball in first-class cricket. Azam induced Ali Raza, Lahore Shalimar's captain, to nick behind.

By the close of play, Islamabad were in a bit of trouble as they had lost four wickets for 34 runs in 11 overs. The seamer Asif Raza took 3 for 13 in five overs.

Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) did well to reach 287 for 7 on the first day of their match against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) at the Arbab Niaz stadium in Peshawar.

SNGPL were struggling at 63 for 4 when Azhar Shafiq (95) and Khurram Shahzad (75) added 164 runs to lift them out of trouble. Zohaib Khan prised out three wickets while Junaid Nadir chipped in with 2 for 45.

South Africa in control after Pakistan's batting collapse

A middle-order collapse inspired by Paul Harris gave South Africa the upper hand at the end of the second day of the first Test in Karachi. Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal, who was opening the innings due to Salman Butt's illness, put on 71 in 14 overs before five wickets fell for 49 runs to leave Pakistan trailing by 323 runs on a pitch assisting spinners immensely.

Pakistan looked set to emulate South Africa with the bat as Akmal and Hafeez, their ninth opening combination in the last 16 Tests, began with some lovely drives on either side of the wicket. Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn built up a good pace and a few anxious moments were witnessed when Akmal played away from his body and edged either past the diving slips or between gully and point.

The slide began when Harris replaced Ntini, who was driven and cut past point for boundaries by Akmal. Getting sharp turn with his loop and quick bounce by pitching it slightly short, Harris had Akmal stretching forward to an arm ball and struck plumb in front. It was not only the batsmen that Harris troubled with his bounce - he hit Mark Boucher on the cheek with a ball that spun and beat the batsman.

Harris then accounted for Hafeez, brilliantly caught at first slip by Jacques Kallis, whose day only got better when he removed a shaky Faisal Iqbal off an inside edge. Pakistan's batsmen, missing the cue from Kallis' splendid innings, failed to apply themselves - Misbah-ul-Haq edged a slower Steyn delivery way outside offstump - and played loose strokes away from their bodies. Pakistan will need a spirited performance from Shoaib Malik, their captain, and the tail to avoid the follow-on.

South Africa, meanwhile, had looked all set to post a 500-plus total in their first innings before the debutant Abdur Rehman, who bowls left-arm spin, utilised the crumbling pitch to pick up four wickets.

Bowling unchanged after lunch, Rehman varied his length well while using the bowler's footmarks outside the right-handers' leg-stump to force the batsmen into a defensive mode. It was this tactic that got rid of Mark Boucher, who swept outside leg stump and gave Akmal an easy catch as the ball popped up in the air. His probing length was rewarded once again as Andre Nel prodded forward and gave a simple catch to Misbah at silly mid-off.

Danish Kaneria, Pakistan's other spinner, was brought into the attack in the sixth over of the day and managed to pick up his 200th Test wicket, and the prize wicket of Kallis for 155. Kallis looked good for his first-ever double century, clipping Mohammad Asif for three fours in his second over as the bowler failed to get any movement off the seam.

Using his feet well against the spinners, he swept with authority as the well-spread field provided ample scoring opportunities. His innings ended when Kaneria, who was getting immense turn, decided to come round the wicket. Kallis tried to cut off the back foot but Akmal, who had dropped him on 36 yesterday, made no mistake this time.

AB de Villiers then took matters in his own hands, refusing singles - although Pakistan's dismal ground fielding did allow him several twos - and alternating between power and placement. Dispatching Rehman into the sightscreen for a six to reach his 50, de Villiers twice pulled Kaneria fiercely as the legspinner pitched it short. His innings, and South Africa's, was ended by a searing Umar Gul yorker and the home side headed for the dressing room with sighs of relief. Not for long though, as it turned out, and they now face the threat of a follow-on on day three.

Kaneria completes 50 wickets in 2007 English season

KARACHI: Pakistan’s star leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has joined England pace bowler Steve Harmison as the only two bowlers to have completed 50 wickets in first-class matches, in the ongoing cricket season in England. Both bowlers now have a total of an exact 50 wickets each, either having appeared in nine matches enjoying first-class status.

Harmison’s figures of 50 wickets are slightly better than Kaneria’s. For his haul in matches for Durham, England and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Harmison has conceded only 21.54 runs apiece. Kaneria’s 50, all for Essex, have been picked up at a rate of 26.52 runs each.

By 9.00pm Pakistan Standard Time on Wednesday, which meant 5.00pm British Time, Durham were placed second in the English County Championship Division One’s nine-team table just behind leaders Yorkshire. They have won and lost three each of their eight matches so far for a points tally of 94.5.

Danish Kaneria’s Essex were at number three, behind Nottinghamshire and Somerset, in the nine-team English County Championship Division Two table at 9.00pm yesterday. The first three teams will be promoted to Division One next summer, so Essex have a good enough chance to be one of those teams.

On Wednesday, the last day of Essex’s four-day County Championship match against table leaders Nottinghamshire at County Ground Chelmsford, Kaneria didn’t really have complementary bowling figures. In his 42 overs he conceded 153 runs for three wickets.

Essex had compiled a massive 700 runs in their first innings for the loss of nine wickets and then they declared. Nottinghamshire replied with an even bigger total of 791. By the time we went to the press, the match was predictably heading towards a tame draw.

In his first season as an Essex player back in 2004, Danish Kaneria had a prosperous summer as he captured 63 wickets at 25.53 in 11 first-class matches. He can certainly do better this year, in case he is not called up for national duty by Pakistan earlier than expected.

Sussex’s Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed has bagged 41 wickets in eight first-class matches this season at 29.43 each with teammate Naved-ul-Hasan, the medium-fast bowler, having taken 29 wickets in eight matches at 30.72 runs apiece.

Defending champions Sussex are currently placed number three in the Division One table. Kent are at number seven and faced with the danger of relegation to Division Two. Kent’s Pakistan medium-pacer Yasir Arafat has taken 26 wickets in seven matches at 29.88 each.

Kaneria is also one of the leading wicket-takers on England’s limited overs circuit. In eight such matches for Essex this summer, he has taken 17 wickets at just 13.17 runs apiece.

There are only two bowlers ahead of him. Australia’s pace bowler Stuart Clark, playing for Hampshire, has 21 wickets in seven matches at 11.38 while former West Indies fast bowler Ottis Gibson has taken 19 wickets in nine matches for Durham at 17.84 runs each.

Former Pakistan vice-captain Younis Khan has scored 477 runs in eight matches for County Championship Division One table leaders Yorkshire at an average of 43.36. He has a highest of 202 not out among his two hundreds.

Danish Kaneria helps Essex top table with 5-32 haul

KARACHI: Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, who has expressed his desire to represent the country in the couple of One-day Internationals set to be played in Scotland in early July, did his chances a world of good as he helped Essex soar to the top of the Friends Provident Trophy South Conference, with his English county running away with a seven-wicket triumph over Somerset at the County Ground in Chelmsford on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Kaneria from Karachi captured five wickets for 32 runs in his 10 overs for Essex yesterday, as Somerset were bowled out for 193 runs in 49.4 overs. Essex lost three wickets in making 194 runs while winning the match with as many as 94 balls to spare.

Essex, third on the 10-team table before the start of the match, jumped up to the first position after collecting the two points for victory. From nine matches, of which they have won six and lost two, they now have a tally of 13 points, one more than Hampshire and two more than both Kent and Gloucestershire.

Of the other Pakistanis currently contracted by the various English counties, only Yasir Arafat for Kent and Azhar Mahmood for Surrey were playing for their teams in the Friends Provident Trophy in Wednesday’s round of matches.

Leicestershire didn’t include leg-spinning all-rounder Mansoor Amjad in their line-up against Derbyshire, both Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Mushtaq Ahmed were missing from Sussex’s encounter against Middlesex and Yorkshire didn’t play Younis Khan in the game against Northamptonshire.

Kaneria, incidentally, has picked up a five-wicket haul in a limited overs cricket match for the first time on England soil. He has, however, reached this tally on three previous occasions — every time in Pakistan.

His best figures in a one-day match are 5-21 in eight overs, for Habib Bank against Pakistan Customs in the 2005-06 Patron’s Cup final, here at the NBP Sports Complex Stadium as Habib Bank won by 37 runs.

Danish Kaneria who, with a total of 44 wickets, is already the highest wicket-taker in the England first-class season this summer, has also gone to the top of the limited overs matches table.

He has joined Australia’s fast-medium bowler Stuart Clark, who is playing for Hampshire, in first position as both have a total of 18 wickets each.

In six matches, Clark has taken his 18 wickets at just 11.16 runs apiece. Kaneria is not too far behind: his 18 have been picked up at only 13.77 runs each though from eight appearances.