Cricket: Pakistan claim the initiative

PAKISTAN grabbed the initiative in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Harare yesterday by taking three quick Zimbabwean second-innings wickets before their opponents could wipe out a first-innings deficit of 77.

Grant Flower was trapped leg before wicket to Wasim Akram for six and, in the next over, Waqar Younis had the opener Gavin Rennie caught at short leg by Yousuf Youhana at the second attempt off a lifter for a duck. Then, in the 16th over, when Zimbabwe's captain, Alistair Campbell, did not offer a stroke to Azhar Mahmood, he was adjudged leg before for 14.

Earlier, Mohammad Wasim and Mushtaq Ahmed had put together a record-breaking ninth-wicket stand of 147. It was the highest in Test history for that wicket against Zimbabwe, beating the 97 between South Africa's Craig McMillan and Allan Donald four years ago. The 20-year-old Mohammad was last out for a Test-best 192.

Third day; Zimbabwe won toss

ZIMBABWE - First Innings 277 (G J Whittall 62, M W Goodwin 53, B C Strang 53).

PAKISTAN - First Innings

(Overnight: 190 for 8)

Mohammad Wasim c Mbangwa b Whittall 192

Mushtaq Ahmed c Campbell b Streak 57

Waqar Younis not out 8

Extras (lb8, w1, nb2) 11

Total (147.5 overs) 354

Fall: 9-334.

Bowling: Streak 31-8-83-1; Mbangwa 33-12- 56-3; Strang 28-10-65-3; Whittall 32.5-4-78-3; Huckle 21-8-55-0; Goodwin 2-0-9-0.

ZIMBABWE -Second Innings

G W Flower lbw b Wasim Akram 6

G J Rennie c Yousuf Youhana b Waqar 0

M W Goodwin not out 25

*A D R Campbell lbw b Azhar Mahmood 14

A Flower not out 25

Extras (b4, lb4, nb4) 12

Total (for 3, 37 overs) 82

Fall: 1-7, 2-9, 3-38.

Bowling: Wasim Akram 13-4-25-1; Waqar Younis 11-2-23-1; Azhar Mahmood 5-2-9-1; Mushtaq Ahmed 8-1-17-0.

Umpires: R B Tiffin and S G Randell.