Pakistan hits back in cricket

Press, 5 June 1978, Page 4

Pakistan hits back in cricket

NZPA Birmingham England was in a strong position at the end of the third day in the first cricket test against Pakistan at Edgbaston yesterday. After England made 451 for eight declared in reply to Pakistan's first innings of 164, the Pakistanis defiantly made 95 for one by the close of play. England’s heroes were Clive Radley and lan Botham, both of whom hit centuries as England built up a first-innings lead of 287 before Sadiq led a minor Pakistani revival. Radley completed his century off just eight balls in the morning. Overnight he was on 97 and he went on to hit 106 bXore falling victim to Sikandar B His* fellow nightwatchman, Graham Roope, followed him back into the pavilion as England started a little shakily and Sikander bowled well. Botham and Geoff Miller came together and the two young English players were mainly responsible for England’s large lead Miller bit a good 48 before falling to Mudassar when caught by Wasim Bari but it was Botham, scoring only his second test century, who made the biggest impact. The 21-year-old Somerset all-rounder, who has only piayed in six tests, attacked the ball in an aggressive, intelligent innings. His eenturv took him just over three hours and was full of fine I strokes. . After Miller departed, Chris ! Old joined Botham but the Yorkshire fast bowler let Botham have the strike and

i contributed only five as Botham raced to his century. However, Old was the hero pn the second day when he topk four Pakistan wickets with oqly ’ five balls to plunge Pakistan into ! a crisis. Scoreboard.— PAKISTAN - I First Innings 164 Second innings ’ Sadiq Mohammad not out -62 Mudassar Nazar b Edmonds 30 ' Iqbal Qasim not out .. 0 Extras (lb2. wl) 3 Total for 1 wkt . 95 Bowling.—Willis, 8. 0, 36, 0; Old 8,4, 7. 0; Botham 5,0, 24, 0; ; Edmonds 8, 3. 12, 1; Miller 2,0, 13, 0. ENGLAND First innings J, M. Brearley run out .. 38 B. Woqd lbw b Sikandar . 14 , C. T. Radley lbw b Sikandar 106 D. L Gower c Miandad b Sikandar 58 G. R. J. Roope b Sikandar 32 1. T. Botham c Qasim b Liaquat 100 G. Miller c Wasim Bart b Mudassar . .. 28 : C. M. Old e Mudassar b Qasim 5 P. H. Edmonds not out 4 Extras (lb 26, w 5. nb 15) 46 Total for 8 wkts dec. 451 ■ Fall: 36, 101, 190, 275, 276, 398, 447,-451. . „ Bowling.—Sarfraz 6, 1. 12, 0; Liaquat 42. 9. 114, 1; Sikandar 45, 13, 132, 4: Mudassar 27. 7, 59, . 1; Qasim 14. 2. 56, 1; Wasim I Raja 10, 1. 32. 0.