Younis Khan capped his return to Test cricket with a brilliant unbeaten century to help Pakistan draw the first Test against South Africa on the fifth and final day yesterday.
The 32-year-old — playing his first Test since July 2009 because of an indefinite ban and differences with fellow players — finished with 131 not out to take Pakistan to 343-3 at the Dubai Stadium.
Younis’ hundred thwarted South Africa’s attack as they managed just one wicket in the three sessions to leave the fate of the two-Test series on the second match, starting in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Younis was ably supported by Misbah-ul-Haq who scored an unbeaten 76 during an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 186.
South Africa dropped three crucial catches, two off Younis and one off Misbah.
Younis brought up his century with a towering six off spinner Johan Botha three overs before the tea break. Younis also added 82 for the third wicket with Azhar Ali who fell after making a sedate 63.
Misbah, who was also on a Test comeback after being dropped for the tour of England earlier this year, hit eight fours and a six during his 185-ball knock.
Resuming at 109-2, Pakistan had pinned their hopes on Younis and Ali. Ali was bowled by spinner Paul Harris before lunch after hitting seven boundaries during his 150-ball knock.
Pakistan had a lucky escape in the fourth over of the day when Younis, on 16, edged paceman Dale Steyn, but wicket-keeper Mark Boucher failed to hold a regulation catch towards his right.
Younis also had luck on 73 when Kallis failed to hold a difficult chance in the slips, also off Steyn.
Misbah was lucky when Hashim Amla dropped a bat-pad edge off Botha at short-leg when the batsman had made eight.
NEW ZEALAND V INDIA
REUTERS, HYDERABAD, INDIA
Brendon McCullum stroked his first double century to dash India’s hopes of forcing a victory against New Zealand on the final day of the second Test yesterday.
India made had 68 without loss at the close after the visitors declared their second innings at 448 for eight at tea, setting the hosts an improbable target of 327 to win in the last session of the day.
Virender Sehwag hit an unbeaten run-a-ball 54, studded with six boundaries and a six, to bring up his second half-century of the match. Fellow opener Gautam Gambhir finished on 14 not out.
McCullum (225) frustrated the Indian spinners with his quick footwork and deft reverse sweeps. He was dropped on 148 by substitute fielder Cheteshwar Pujara at short leg off Harbhajan Singh.
The right-hander reached the coveted double hundred mark with a paddle scoop to the fine leg boundary off Suresh Raina.
Resuming the day on 237 for four, McCullum and Kane Williamson (69) added 124 for the fifth wicket before the latter was out, adjudged leg before to Harbhajan.
McCullum perished trying to hit paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (3-121) for a third consecutive boundary, skying a slower ball for Raina to take a well-judged catch.
Paceman Zaheer Khan, suffering an abdominal strain, could bowl only three overs in the morning before walking off the field, severely denting the Indian attack with the new ball.
SRI LANKA V WEST INDIES
AP, GALLE, SRI LANKA
Chris Gayle was out for a career-best 333 on the second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka yesterday, one of spinner Ajantha Mendis’ six wickets before West Indies declared on 580-9 after tea.
Sri Lanka lost Tillakaratne Dilshan for a duck but recovered to reach 54-1 at the close. Captain Kumar Sangakkara struck seven boundaries in an unbeaten 33, while was Tharanga Paranavitana was 10 not out.
Gayle hit 34 boundaries and nine sixes off 437 balls before being bowled by Mendis, who finished with 6-169 from 59 overs.
The former Windies skipper fell short of Brian Lara’s world record of 400 but joined the former West Indian batsman, Donald Bradman of Australia and Virender Sehwag of India as the only other players to score two Test triple-hundreds.
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