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Pakistan ride on Taufeeq double-century

Sri Lanka 47 for 1 and 197 trail Pakistan 511 for 6 dec (Taufeeq 236, Hafeez 75, Azhar 70) by 267 runs

Twelve hours of monkish accumulation in the Abu Dhabi heat earned Taufeeq Umar only the seventh double-century by a Pakistan opener, and the first since 1992. It also left a tired Sri Lanka waiting for a declaration as Pakistan's batsmen, barring Misbah-ul-Haq, favoured accumulation over urgency. Misbah finally relented about an hour before close of play, after the lead was 314, leaving the Sri Lanka openers a testing period to survive.

Sri Lanka's day got worse when umpire Tony Hill, who is having a rough game, harshly adjudged Tharanga Paranavitana leg-before first ball. Several close shaves against the new ball followed, which was the last thing Sri Lanka needed after Taufeeq had ground them out of the match.

Taufeeq went through three contrasting partnerships on the third day: he collected runs without risk with Younis Khan, stepped back as Misbah attacked the bowlers and finally took charge when Asad Shafiq - coming in at 436 for 4 - remained stuck on 1 for 30 deliveries.

As is often the case in sagas of self-denial, there wasn't a particular Taufeeq stroke that stood out. What did was the way he got his runs - dabbing and steering when he could have indulged in a cut, stepping out to clip and drive when he could have lofted, nudging when he could have flicked. He patted away numerous half-volleys and scored less than a third of his runs in boundaries. He ran 90 singles, 21 twos and 10 threes in the sapping heat.

There were also outside edges that did not carry, inside edges that missed the stumps and a let-off soon after Taufeeq had reached his century yesterday, but in an innings that spanned close to 500 deliveries, it was almost par for the course. Taufeeq continued to pull with zest throughout, showing that nine successive sessions on the field had not diminished his effort.

With Taufeeq's patience at one end, Misbah brought the urgency the innings had begun to scream for before umpire Tony Hill ruled him caught behind, his third big error of the game.

After Chanaka Welegedara had accounted for Azhar Ali in the seventh over of the morning, Taufeeq and Younis ensured Sri Lanka's relief was temporary with a stand that had a sense of inevitability in the resolute manner it was built. Welegedara tested Pakistan in the morning, getting nip off the surface and swing in the air. A ripping inswinger uprooted Azhar's off stump. It was the tenth time Azhar had failed to convert a half-century into a Test hundred.

Apart from that, and a couple of edges and mis-hits that didn't carry to the fielders, Pakistan carried on unbothered, though they did not really dominate. Taufeeq and Younis hardly took any risks. Younis benefited from a dropped catch by Prasanna Jayawardene off Tillakaratne Dilshan when on 16 but was handed a marginal leg-before decision by umpire Rod Tucker. It was again Welegedara who earned the breakthrough with a delivery that straightened a little.

Younis' departure quickened proceedings considerably. With a mixture of slog-sweeps, a late cut and a reverse-sweep, Misbah chugged along at close to run-a-ball. Even Rangana Herath, who had troubled Pakistan the most, was reduced to bowling in the rough outside leg stump from over the wicket. The line got rid of Misbah just before tea, though the ball had only brushed his sleeve before being taken by Prasanna Jayawardene. Taufeeq was again left to push on with another new batsman for company.

This time, Taufeeq was forced to be the aggressor, with Shafiq refusing to score till a message from the dressing room forced him to look for some runs. Even then, he managed 26 from 94 and ultimately ran out Taufeeq, ironically refusing a sharp single to a man who had been on the field for all three days.

That was the only way the immoveable Taufeeq could have got out, but not before Sri Lanka had been deflated. Their nightmare was complete when Paranavitana went immediately. Kumar Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne were positive, though, as they got through 11 overs without further damage

Asif blames Butt's swearing for his no-ball

Mohammad Asif attributed his infamous no-ball in last year's Lord's Test to the abuse he received in the over from his captain Salman Butt, a court heard in London on Thursday.


Asif was appearing in the witness stand for the first time on the 12th day of the alleged spot-fixing trial, and his lawyer Alexander Milne QC followed a preamble introduction of his career with the nitty-gritty moment about the no-balls in question.


Butt and Asif are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to obtain and accept corruptpayments following the Lord's Test last year when they allegedly conspired with agent Mazhar Majeed, teenager Mohammad Amir and other people unknown to bowl pre-planned no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.


When discussing the tenth over at Lord's in which Asif's one questionable no-ball was delivered, on the sixth ball of the over, Milne asked his client if anything was said to him during this over. He responded by revealing how captain Butt had abused him. After the first ball of the tenth over Butt had moved into an unusual fielding position at a straight, short mid-off, which is where, it is alleged, that Butt made the remarks from.


"He said run faster f*****, and went on to say something like 'haven't you slept'? Somebody kept shouting. I think Butt was saying things; that made me lose concentration."


Milne replied to that answer by asking Asif whether Butt's comment was said in a funny way, pointing out that swear words can sometimes be used in a humorous, friendly way.


"No, it wasn't friendly," Asif said. "It was unfriendly for a captain to speak like that to me, especially with my position in the rankings." Asif went on: "I thought to myself that I had slept well last night so why is he saying these things. He was desperate for wickets but so was I."


During the morning's proceedings Milne also established through his answers from his client that Asif had minimal contact with Majeed. In fact although his older brother Azhar Majeed acted as his unsigned agent from 2006, bringing him two unpaid assignments in that time, he did not even meet Mazhar until May 2010 during the Twenty20 World Cup.


Asif told how Majeed frequently contacted him to sign a contract with his management company and would promise him sponsorship agreements with companies like GM (Gunn & Moore). Asif said he tolerated him because "GM was a big brand". Apart from those conversations Asif also told of how he frequently rejected offers either from Butt or Majeed to go to dinners with them, as he preferred to dine with friends from outside of the team.


Asif also denied ever having any knowledge of taking any money for the no-balls or even having any knowledge that other people had "an interest" in his bowling a no-ball. Asif spoke in broken English and even apologised to the jury saying "sorry, my English not very good." He needed frequent assistance from his interpreter.


The fast bowler also claimed that News of the World journalist Mazhar Mahmood met him on two separate occasions after scandal broke, even though Mahmood denied any such meeting during the presentation of his evidence. Asif claimed that Mahmood introduced himself as solicitor Imran Sheikh, offering to help him and asking him many questions about the scandal.


The defendant said that Sheikh later met up with him in Lahore and tried again to probe him for more answers of the scandal.


The case continues.

Character witness statements laud Butt's 'honesty'

Former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt was widely described as an "honest" and "hard-working" individual and ex-Pakistan leg-spinning great Abdul Qadir claimed him to be a person "with high morals".

The comments came as Butt's defence closed by reading to the court a series character witness accounts. Those from former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson and from ex-Pakistan strength and conditioning coach David Dwyer were read out the previous evening.

At the start of day 12 of the alleged spot-fixing trial in London, Butt's solicitor Yasin Patel read out those from Qadir, one from his sister, his mother, from former Pakistan trainer Tauseef Razzaq and from an academy coach Azhar Zaidi. All were glowing references.

"The Salman Butt that I know is honest, hardworking, truthful, fair, modest, loving, highly-respected, and with a firm commitment to the success of his team and his country," Qadir said in his. "He supports and cares for all his family and is a young man who helps wherever he can do.

"I was shocked about the allegations that were made against him and am surprised with the charges he faces," Qadir added. "I do not believe he is capable of the acts with which he is charged," before adding, "There have been many great players in the past and I believe this young man is destined to achieve much in the future."

After these were finished being read out, it was then the turn of Mohammad Asif to take to the witness stand.

Butt and Asif are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments following the Lord's Test last year when they allegedly conspired with agent Mazhar Majeed, teenager Mohammad Amir and other people unknown to bowl pre-planned no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.

Sangakkara, Prasanna Jayawardene earn draw for SL

Sri Lanka 197 and 483 (Sangakkara 211, P Jayawardene 120) drew with Pakistan 511 for 6 dec and 21 for 1

Kumar Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene defied Pakistan for six hours, batting almost till tea on the final day to earn a draw for Sri Lanka. After losing five wickets on the fourth evening while still needing 81 runs to make Pakistan bat again, Sri Lanka benefited from six dropped chances in the second innings. Pakistan's bowlers toiled as much as the heat allowed them to, but their effectiveness was blunted by an unyielding pitch, abysmal catching and resolute batting. Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene achieved personal landmarks, with the former reaching his eighth Test double-century, putting him behind only Don Bradman and Brian Lara.

The sixth-wicket partnership between Sangakkara and Jayawardene - easily the highest for Sri Lanka against Pakistan - ate away whatever advantage remained with Pakistan after yesterday's five dropped chances. Azhar Ali finally ended Pakistan's despair after 73 fruitless overs, trapping Sangakkara leg-before with a legbreak just before tea. Aizaz Cheema had Jayawardene caught behind with the third new ball but it was too late to make up for the largesse of all those missed chances in a match affected by some average umpiring from Tony Hill. Umar Gul cleaned up the tail leaving Pakistan an improbable 170 to get in 21 overs. Pakistan's top order did not give the slightest impression of going for it, and the game was called off after ten rather pointless overs as Tillakaratne Dilshan let the game meander beyond the start of the final hour.

Sri Lanka could afford to indulge in such psychological banter after Sangakkara and Jayawardene had carried them to safety, the slowness of the pitch allowing them to defend without much trouble. Sangakkara - who had looked near-immoveable after a couple of reprieves yesterday - allowed Jayawardene to take charge, but still put the loose ones away, reaching 200 with a nudge to the fine leg boundary off Cheema in the 143rd over. Jayawardene lofted Ajmal for a straight boundary in the 148th over to bring up a potentially match-saving century after having got a duck in the first innings. Not at any stage did they show even a hint of getting bogged down, unlike batsmen from both teams in the first innings.

Jayawardene, dropped by Wahab Riaz on 11 last evening, was much more positive today, breaking free with a swept boundary when Saeed Ajmal tried to tie him down early with two fielders around square leg. A tiring Junaid Khan - who had kept charging in with energy and going past the outside edge - was pulled emphatically over midwicket.

Pakistan's frustration slowly turned into resignation, a shame given the way they dominated this game for four days, apart from their fielding, which ruined the untiring efforts of their bowlers in the end. As in the first innings, Cheema epitomised Pakistan's willingness to give it everything on a pitch which held up so well in the heat, it would have been good for five more days.

An over from Cheema, the 137th of the innings, told Pakistan's tale of luckless perseverance. After four testing deliveries, Cheema bowled a loopy slow delivery that completely befuddled Jayawardene outside off stump. A ripping reverse-swinging yorker followed but Jayawardene somehow managed to dig it out, almost falling over. The unwavering Cheema was back in his next over with another slower ball followed by another accurate yorker, only to be denied without fuss by Jayawardene. This after Cheema had been denied by umpire Tony Hill after hitting Jayawardene on the pads right after lunch.

Azhar's unexpected strike at the stroke of tea brought relief for Pakistan and they eventually got through the tail with the third new ball but not before Rangana Herath had been grassed by Umar Gul at extra cover, the sixth drop of the innings. Herath stretched the innings till 168 overs, leaving Pakistan to rue their generosity on the field and in hindsight, their cautious approach with the bat in the first innings.