Cricket: Zimbabwe face uphill struggle

Pakistan 423-8 dec

Zimbabwe 179-4

ALISTAIR CAMPBELL and David Houghton batted courageously as Zimbabwe fought to stay in their first Test in Pakistan yesterday. Zimbabwe finished the third day in Karachi on 179 for 4, still 45 runs short of their follow-on target after Pakistan declared their first innings at 423 for 8.

The tourists ran into early trouble against the pace of Waqar Younis, but Campbell and Houghton, the two most experienced batsmen in the side, prevented a serious collapse with a third-wicket stand of 61. The partnership was broken just before tea when the left-handed Campbell was leg before to the leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed for 53.

Houghton hit eight fours in a fighting 46 before he fell to Waqar, Pakistan's new captain. Waqar finished the day with figures of 3 for 55, removing Houghton and Mark Dekker leg before with deliveries which swung late.

Pakistan, resuming on 388 for 8, batted on for only 25 minutes. Their wicketkeeper, Rashid Latif, was left on 68 not out, his highest Test score.

(Third day: Pakistan won toss)

PAKISTAN - First Innings

(Overnight: 388 for 8)

Rashid Latif not out 68

Tauseef Ahmed not out 21

Extras (b15 lb12 nb1) 28

Total (for 8 dec, 155 overs) 423

Bowling: Brandes 35-4-106-3; Streak 29-6-77-0; Rennie 32-6-90-1; Whittal 12-4-26-1; Peall 41-10-89-2; Flower 6-2-8-1.

Did not bat: Ata-ur-Rehman.

ZIMBABWE - First Innings

G W Flower b Waqar Younis 24

M H Dekker lbw b Waqar Younis 5

A D R Campbell lbw b Mushtaq Ahmed 53

D L Houghton lbw b Waqar Younis 46

* A Flower not out 21

G J Whittal not out 12

Extras (b2 lb15 w1) 18

Total (for 4) 179

Fall: 1-16 2-71 3-132 4-153.

To bat: G Bruk-Jackson, S G Peall, J A Rennie, H H Streak, E A Brandes.

Bowling (to date): Waqar Younis 21-4-55-3; Ata-ur- Rehman 6-1-16-0; Mushtaq Ahmed 22-7-60-1; Tauseef Ahmed 16-6-29-0; Shoaib Muhammad 1-0-1-0; Aamir Sohail 1-0-1-0.