Disciplined bowling gives Pakistan the advantage on the first day of the second Test Against South Africa, Lahore

Ashwell Prince and Jacques Kallis hit half-centuries but Pakistan struck back with some disciplined bowling to restrict South Africa on day one of the second and final Test here Monday.

South Africa had posted 259-6 with Prince (63) and Kallis (59) leading the charge at the Gaddafi Stadium when bad light stopped play seven overs ahead of schedule.

Mark Boucher was unbeaten on nine and Andre Nel was yet to score.

It seemed AB de Villiers (45) would ratchet up the South African total but he fell to an unfortunate run-out, giving Pakistan some advantage as they seek to level the series.

South Africa won the first Test in Karachi by 160 runs.

Captain Graeme Smith plundered 46 runs but none of his teammates followed suit against the spin and pace attack of Pakistan.

Key batsman Kallis, who scored a masterly 155 and an unbeaten 100 in the first Test, was not in the best form as he nearly played on Danish Kaneria twice. He regained composure though and hit paceman Umar Gul for two consecutive boundaries to reach his 45th half-century.

Kallis added an invaluable 83 runs for the fifth wicket with Prince, who also defied the bowling with some resolute stroke play.

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who once again went into the Test with just two seamers and two frontline spinners, did not introduce left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman until the 51st over.

Rehman, who took eight wickets in Karachi, was hit for a six by Kallis before Kaneria struck back, trapping the South African with a disguising googly.

Kaneria, who bowled a long spell of 27 overs on either side of lunch, was the best of the home bowlers with 2-73.

Earlier, Kallis added 53 runs for the third wicket with Smith after the tourists lost Herschelle Gibbs (13) and Hashim Amla (10).

Pakistan's pace duo of Gul and Mohammad Asif provided the early breakthroughs. Gul had Gibbs caught in the gully while Asif bowled Amla with an inswinger.

Smith, batting with confidence on 31 with South Africa 70-2 at lunch, drove Kaneria for a boundary before the leg-spinner had the last laugh with a sharp turner which went through bat and pad to hit the off-stump.

Prince and Kallis took the score to 160 before Kaneria claimed the prized scalp of Kallis to raise hopes of dismissing the tourists for a modest total.

Prince, however, kept one end intact and consolidated the South African innings. Rehman finally brought an end to Prince's innings when he beat the batsman in the air to hit the stumps.

Prince hit five boundaries in his stubborn three-hour knock.

The Lahore Test is the swansong for Inzamam-ul Haq who is retiring from Test cricket.

The 37-year-old veteran was brought into the team along with Mohammad Yousuf. Inzamam was unavailable for the first Test while Yousuf pulled out at the last minute citing a lack of match fitness.

South Africa remained unchanged, leaving veteran all-rounder Shaun Pollock on the sidelines. Pollock was dropped for the first Test -- the first time in his 107-Test career.

Inzamam prepares for final battle

Apart from looking light of paunch, not much about Inzamam-ul-Haq's last touch-football training session appeared any different to the many that preceded it. He ambled around on the periphery, occasionally roused himself to sprint and throw passes, before stopping to amble again. The others accorded him the respect they always have by not really running after him that hard.

Cool as you like he had a bat in the nets, but admitted the occasion got to him.

"Today when I went to do batting practice in the nets I got a little bit emotional."

The last year has been unkind to Inzamam and it has brought him to this: resignation from the captaincy, ODI retirement and now from Tests, when he feels he can still play on for a year.

"It was a tough decision, but when I looked at the youngsters in the dressing room, I thought they shouldn't be put under pressure and it was better to quit. Every player should realise himself when it is the right time for him to leave."

"There are lots of youngsters who have bright futures and I hope by the time the next World Cup (2011) comes, the team will be in better shape. The way we have performed in the World Twenty20, there are lots of encouraging signs."

Inzamam praised the Pakistan board for affording him this send-off, dignified if a little forced, but it's one very few ex-players have been able to command. He wasn't thinking ahead just yet, however.

"My priority is to perform well and help Pakistan draw the series."

His return puts Pakistan in an unusual situation. Shoaib Malik, the captain, rightly sees it as a bulking up of the middle-order, especially with the return also of Mohammad Yousuf. But it could leave them distracted as well, as Graeme Smith has pointed out.

"Both players are coming back after a while and it might affect Pakistan,"

said Smith.

"We're making sure we concentrate on playing the style of cricket we played in the first Test."

But Smith acknowledged that both were serious batsmen, no matter what the situation or context.

"We were prepared for Yousuf in the first Test and we have played against Inzamam recently so our game-plan is pretty much in place for these two batsmen. We are pretty comfortable but they are world-class players. How they fit back in their setup is their challenge and how we bowl is our challenge."

Over 20,000 international runs, 35 hundreds and 17 years after his debut, against West Indies in 1991, Inzamam will play his last game at the venue where it all began: the Gaddafi Stadium.

"I still remember that game. It feels as if it was only yesterday."

If it was, then some day it's been.

Muhammad Yousuf announces to play for Pakistan

LAHORE: The recently awarded the ‘Test player of the year’ by the International Cricket Council, Muhammad Yousuf , surrendering from the Indian Cricket League (ICL)has decided to render more services for Pakistan in the field of cricket.

Mohammad Yousuf has agreed to cancel his contract with the ICL and opted instead to represent Pakistan after talks with Dr Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Muhammad Yousuf called on the chairman PCB at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore and talked with him for an hour after which both addressed a five-minute news conference in which the media was not allowed to ask any question.

Dr Nasim Ashraf said:

"I had a fruitful meeting with Yousuf today and he has signed a central contract with the PCB after agreeing not to play in the ICL,"

Ashraf said.

"He is now available to represent Pakistan. He is the backbone of Pakistan's batting and we are happy that he is back."

Muhammad Yousuf said that he is happy to play for Pakistan again. He was assured regarding his future and he has therefore decided to cancel his contract with the ICL.

"Whatever I have achieved is because of my country and I am willing to do anything for Pakistan,"

Yousuf said.

"I didn't know this clause in the ICL contract that priority had to be given to the league instead of Pakistan when international matches are happening simultaneously."

Dr Nasim Ashraf said that Muhammad Yousuf is continuing his physical training. He will begin the training from Friday in Lahore and join the national team on Saturday in Karachi.

Yousuf, together with Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Farhat and Abdul Razzaq, signed on with the league over a month ago. Though it wasn't said at the time, the decision was thought to be a result of his axing from Pakistan's squad for the ICC World Twenty20. Razzaq, who was also axed, announced his retirement from international cricket, a decision he has yet to take back.

Though no similar moves have been made for the other three, the development represents a considerable coup for the Pakistan board, who have made no secret of their desire to lure Yousuf back. With the first Test against South Africa to begin on Monday, it means he is at least available to shore up a thin-looking middle order, which already has to fill the considerable gap left by Inzamam.