November 19 Tuesday 2002
Flower, Campbell stop Pak charge

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe: Alistair Campbell and Grant Flower showed impressive composure at the crease for Zimbabwe, but Pakistan made steady progress on the third day of the second Test in Bulawayo on Monday.

Zimbabwe began their second innings with a deficit of 225, and they were 171 for five at stumps -- still 54 runs short of making Pakistan bat again.

Andy Flower was alone at the crease on 13 after Hamilton Masakadza prodded the last ball of the day, bowled by off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, to Yousuf Youhana at silly point to be dismissed for 16.

Yousuf Youhana scored 159 out of Pakistan's first innings of 403, with which they replied to Zimbabwe's 178. Campbell and Grant Flower, who scored 62 and 43 respectively, shared 88 runs in a stabilising partnership for the third wicket after fast bowler Waqar Younis removed openers Dion Ebrahim and Mark Vermeulen in consecutive 
overs after lunch.

Ebrahim pushed forward to a delivery that seamed back and trapped him in front for seven, while Vermeulen, batting with a dislocated little finger on his left hand, played a similar stroke and was out identically for 26 as Zimbabwe slipped to 37 for two.

Vermeulen hit five boundaries, four of them in a wayward first over from fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who conceded 53 runs in his first six overs and ended the day having taken one for 61 from 12 overs.

Campbell and Grant Flower batted sensibly, except when Campbell, on 20 with the total 56 for two, edged Shoaib to second slip, where Younis Khan failed to hold the catch. Their stand was ended 15 overs before the close when Shoaib bowled Flower off his pads for 43.

Campbell went eight overs later, bowled off the inside edge of his diagonal bat by fast bowler Muhammad Sami for 62. Campbell stayed for almost four hours, and scored his runs off 159 balls with 10 fours.

Pakistan had resumed on 295 for five, and Yousuf Youhana and Kamran Akmal took their partnership to 121 -- a record for the sixth wicket in matches between the two countries -- before the latter was caught on the crease by a delivery from paceman Mluleki Nkala and trapped lbw for 56. Yousuf, who was dropped on 88 and 105 on Sunday, had a third life on 141 when left arm spinner Ray Price failed to hold a hard hit caught and bowled chance.

Price got his man four overs later when a ball he bowled from over the wicket turned sharply and kept low to hit the stumps. Yousuf was at the crease for six hours and faced 280 balls, hitting 21 fours.

The Pakistani lower order failed to apply themselves and the last four wickets fell for 29.