Youhana, Latif rescue Pakistan

By Ted Corbett

CARDIFF, JUNE 9. A world record seventh-wicket stand by Yousuf Youhana and Rashid Latif rescued Pakistan after Shane Warne had torn holes in the middle of its batting order during the second one-day International at Cardiff on Saturday.

The pair, who came together when the innings was in tatters at 85 for six, enabled Pakistan to reach 253 as they obliterated the previous record by Kenya's Thomas Odoya and Tony Suji against Zimbabwe 1997-98.

At the same time they played havoc with the figures of Brett Lee, playing for the first time since his elbow operation in February. His unexpected comeback began when a spectacular overhead catch by Mark Waugh took out the adventurous Shahid Afridi in his second over, but the 90 miles an hour man never topped 86mph as he gingerly felt his way back into the game.

After the exhilarating Afridi's usual blistering start - 11 including two fours in nine balls - Saeed Anwar played the main part in guiding Pakistan through the first 20 overs, but the arrival of Warne cut down both Abdur Razzaq and Inzamam-ul-Haq in his first over. Razzaq was the victim of a marvellous piece of stumping by Adam Gilchrist but I had the impression that Inzamam, who went dancing down the wicket to his second ball, was in his usual early-innings dream.

With Ian Harvey using all his experience of English conditions to bowl ten tight overs Pakistan had almost ground to a halt when Azhar Mahmood was caught by Gilchrist off Warne at 85 for six. At this point there may have been sighs of relief in the corridors of power at Lord's where the England and Wales Cricket Board have been trying to find a solution to last Thursday's minor riot at Edgbaston.

They put 100 on the board in 18 overs and the effort took so much out of Latif that he collapsed in the dressing room with heat exhaustion and dehydration and had to leave the wicket- keeping to Youhana, who had just batted 103 balls for an undefeated 91. Latif, the driving force behind the revival, hit 66 in 68 balls. How he became ill on a mild English spring day with the temperature not more than 20 degrees is difficult to understand.

When Australia began its innings Shoaib Akhtar, playing because Wasim Akram was hurt, let rip. His rivalry with Lee is famous and he took this opportunity to show that he can top 90 miles an hour any time he wants. His first over contained six quick balls and in his second he bowled a ball at 94.6; if the speedo is to be believed.

It lost its credibility when it showed Wasim bowling at 94 miles an hour in the Old Trafford Test but the next ball from Shoaib - whatever the computer says - was much too quick for Gilchrist and knocked over his middle stump. It was also a no- ball. That problem will haunt the game all summer.

The Aussies did not hang about. Fifty came in the seventh over; 74 in ten; the Waugh-Ricky Ponting stand reached 50 in 37 balls; and 41 came off Shoaib's five rapid overs. The self- confidence of this Australian side is astonishing even by their own standards.

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