Miandad reaches cricket milestone

Press, 11 October 1988, Page 24

Miandad reaches cricket milestone

NZPA-Reuter

Lahore, Pakistan

The Pakistan captain, Javed Miandad, completed 7000 runs in test cricket yesterday as Australia, again let down by poor catching, saw its hopes of squaring the three-match series fade away.

Pakistan was 165 for three in reply to Australia’s first innings total of 340 at the close of the third day of the third and final test. Rain in the afternoon cut short play by 90 minutes and with two days left, the prospects of a result look slim. A draw would give Pakistan the rubber 1-0 by virtue of its win in the acrimonious first test in Karachi where dropped catches proved costly for Australia. Miandad, playing in his ninety-fifth test, came in at 104 for two, needing 18 runs to become the eleventh batsman in test history to join an elite group.

He waited for 93 minutes to reach the significant figures when he drove paceman Tony Dodemaide to the cover boundary.

By completing 7000 runs, Miandad joined the distinguished company of Sunil Gavaskar, Geoff Boycott, Gary Sobers, Colin Cowdrey, Clive Lloyd, Allan Border, Viv Richards, Wally Hammond, Greg Chappell and David Gower.

The Pakistan openers, Mudassar Nazar, and Rameez Raja, six without loss overnight, shared their best stand of the series — 80 — with the aid of missed chances.

Rameez escaped on six off Dodemaide when Steve Waugh failed to hold a sharp chance at second slip. Waugh was again the culprit when Mudassar, having scored seven, was missed off the left-arm fast bowler, Bruce Reid.

Australia eventually broke through shortly before lunch with the wicket of Mudassar, who was given out by the debutant umpire, Salim Badar. David Boon, at backward short-leg, dived to hold a bat-pad chance off Tim May’s off-spin. Mudassar, who had scored 27, seemed unhappy at the decision.