PAKISTAN SAVED BY TAIL-ENDERS Test and series end in cloud of dust

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33189, 31 March 1973, Page 48

PAKISTAN SAVED BY TAIL-ENDERS Test and series end in cloud of dust

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) KARACHI. I England's long and tiring cricket tour of India. Sri Lanka and Pakistan came to an end in a cloud of dust vesterdav.

The third and final test against Pakistan was already certain to finish in a draw when the afternoon breeze suddenly stiffened and sand from the Sind Desert came swirling across the National Stadium.

With batsmen and fielders finding it difficult to see, the umpires called off the match an hour before the scheduled close, and so a day of unexpected turns ended on an appropriately bizarre note. Before play resumed, it seemed that Pakistan had a slim chance of winning, but otherwise a draw looked the only possible outcome. BATTING SLUMP As it turned out, it was England which went within a shade of a spectacular victory. In a dramatic mid-morn-ing slump, engineered by the spinners, N. Gifford and J. Birkenshaw, Pakistan lost five wickets in half an hour for only three runs, and went to lunch at 118 for seven. The home side was rescued by the ninth-wicket pair, Wasim Bari and Sarfraz Nawaz, who put on 69. It was not until tea that Pakistan was all out for 199 — a lead of 258. England then made 30 for one wicket before the dust storm brought the curtain down on the third draw of the series. The test, which had been

marred by crowd trouble,] finished with one final violent gesture when a spectator hurled a stone at the England team bus as it drove away from the ground. Two Pakistanis who were travelling with the England players were showered by flying glass. The England players returned to their hotel to pack their bags for today’s flight home, reflecting on the tour which started on November 30. In India, they lost a thrilling series by two matches to one; in Pakistan all three tests were drawn. Now, they; have New Zealand and the West Indies to meet in the coming English season. PAKISTAN First innings 445/6 dec. Second innings Talai Ali b Gifford .. 39 Majid Kahn b Gifford 23 Zaheer Abbas c Knott b Gifford 4 Asif Iqbal c Fletcher b Gifford .36 Muslitaq Mohammad c Denness b Birkenshaw . 0 Sadiq Mohammad b Gifford 1 Intlkhab Alam c Greig b Birkenshaw .. 0 Wasim Bari c Denness b Birkenshaw 41

[ Saleem Altaf c Knott b Birkenshaw .. 13 Sarfraz Nawaz not out .. 33 j Asif Masood c Gifford b ; Birkenshaw . 0 Extras (leg-byes 4, byes 5) 9 Total 199 Fall of wickets: One for 39. two for 51. three for 105. four for 106, five for 106, six for 106, seven for 108, eight for 129. nine for 198. Bowling.—Arnold. 15. 2, 52, 0; Greig, 10. 2, 26. 0; Gifford. 29, 9, 55, 5; Birkenshaw. 18.3, 5, 57, 5. ENGLAND First inning 386 * Second innings B. Wood c Asif Masood b Saleem Altaf .. 5 D. L. Amiss not out .. 211 IK. W. Fletcher not out 11 Extras (no-balls 3) .. 31 Total (for 1 wicket) 30 j Fall of wicket: one for 27. I Bowling.—Saleem. 5,1, 16. 1; Asif Masood. 4,1, 11, 0; Sarfraz. 1. 1, 0. 0. I