Legendary Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has heaped praise on batsman Younis Khan, saying that “class is temporary and form is permanent”.
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He walked off to a standing ovation from the Oval crowd after batting for more than seven-and-a-half hours in a 308-ball innings featuring 31 fours and four sixes. TV replays confirmed he was out plumb. Root opted for review but it was a waste because Hawk-Eye showed it was hitting middle stump.
Younus cited nightwatchman Yasir as an unlikely influence on his own batting, after surpassing his total runs in his previous six innings in the series. “We’ve been in these situations before so we will come out tomorrow (Sunday) and fight for this Test”. Sarfraz and Riaz fell with the lead a little over 100, but Mohammad Amir joined Younis to add 97 for the ninth wicket.
But before and after that he and Pakistan dealt with everything England threw at them with relative ease on a track that still had some pace and bounce in it for the bowlers.
Before this match the 38-year-old’s highest score of the series was the 33 he posted in his first innings of the opening Test at Lord’s.
Dropped on seven, Shafiq made 109, while Younus emerged from his poor run of form to end the second day unbeaten on 101, his 32nd Test century. But with a qualified faith in his team-mate’s durability, Younis took it upon himself to farm the strike as best he could, seeking to limit Amir to one or two balls per over, while cashing in as best he could at the business end of each over.
Perhaps the most striking feature of Younus’ innings was the manner in which he expertly marshalled the tail after Sarfraz, drawn forward, was superbly taken one-handed by Jonny Bairstow off Chris Woakes for 44.
Younis’ record in the limited cricket he has played in Australia suggests he could be a key man for Pakistan this summer, averaging 43.16 from three Tests – all during the summer of 2004-05.
While he picked a brace of boundaries off the quietly fuming Broad – a calculated edge through gully and a sumptuous full-faced four through the covers, it was Moeen, inevitably, who bore the brunt of Younis’s aggression.
Curiously, despite the overcast conditions after lunch, Cook brought on Root, the part-time offspinner, alongside Moeen Ali, the offspinning allrounder, for eight consecutive overs from the Pavilion End.
The latter struck in his first over, Bairstow fumbling a stumping chance but the ball bouncing out of his gloves straight on to Wahab’s stumps. But Moeen has often proved expensive this series, and he was costly again when conceding 36 runs in six overs on Saturday. Younis shifted gears and went past his double-century with a six over deep mid-wicket off Moeen Ali.
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England thought they had claimed Younis before lunch when onfield umpire Bruce Oxenford adjudged him lbw on 133 off a rising delivery from Steven Finn (3-110) but the batsman successfully appealed the decision. Younis reviewed but replays showed the ball just clipping leg stump. TV umpire: J S Wilson (West Indies). This news story is related to Print/142344-Pakistan-on-course-for-series-equalling-win/ – breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne.
