Butt issues Australia warning

Salman Butt has warned Aussie batsmen to prepare for another searching examination when they embark on their second innings.

Butt top-scored with 71 as the visitors progressed to 331 for nine and a lead of 204 during another eventful day of Test cricket.

And while Butt, Mohammad Yousuf (46) and Umar Akmal (49) all made batting look easy on the unusually grassy Sydney wicket, the stylish left-hander insists conditions still heavily favour of the bowlers.

"They've been tough throughout these two days and I think the pitch might change slightly but not that much," Butt said.

"It's one of those where you're never settled and you're never in.
"The time you think that you're in and suddenly the ball does something, so you've got to have a good laugh about it and stay relaxed because it's not under your control.

"Definitely this pitch is not going to change completely. It's not going to become a batting paradise. There will always be something for the seamers and hopefully the spinners also get help and if Danish (Kaneria) can do what he's capable of we'll be well off."

But while the opener was eager to put doubt in his opponents' minds, local paceman Doug Bollinger, who led a late fightback which saw the hosts take seven for 141 after tea, reckons the wicket is becoming increasingly placid.

"It's doing a bit with the new ball obviously but when it's not swinging or anything it's a good place to bat as you saw with the (Pakistan) openers," said Bollinger, who continued his impressive recent form by claiming three for 70.

"So you fight hard and then you'll get your runs from it."
Despite facing a sizeable first-innings deficit, the lethal left-armer warned the tourists not to get ahead of themselves, insisting the hosts are capable of turning things around.
"It was a good fightback by the guys," he said. "It was a bit frustrating early but they were two-for at tea and now they're nine down," he said.

"So I think just try and get the last one tomorrow and then get our batting hats on for a certain amount of time and get something to bowl to in the second innings."
Bollinger, a clear favourite with the SCG faithful on the opening two days, added of his stunning recent form: "I'm just really enjoying myself at the moment, just enjoying playing Test cricket and just being around the guys.

"I'm really enjoying taking wickets and how I'm bowling at the moment. It's just the old thing of just keep putting in and they (wickets) will come late. That's just what I'm clinging to and I'm enjoying the fight of Test cricket."

Butt and Farhat halve large NZ lead

Pakistan 128 for 0 (Butt 66*, Farhat 55*) and 223 trail New Zealand 471 (Vettori 134, Tuffey 80*, Tuffey 76*, Kaneria 7-168) by 120 runs

If Pakistan's batsmen had applied themselves in the first innings the way they did in the second, a draw would have been the most likely result of the Napier Test. As it stands now, Pakistan are still trailing by 120 runs with two days remaining, though a determined performance from their openers cut the first-innings deficit by more than half.

And don't shake your head in disbelief when you look at the scorecard. Daryl Tuffey, whose previous best was 35, nearly reached his maiden Test hundred as New Zealand gained control of the decider. However, their vice-like grip on the contest - they led by 248 runs when the innings ended after lunch - had loosened at stumps with Salman Butt and Imran Farhat reaching half-centuries during a 128-run association.

The second and third sessions made for fascinating watching. New Zealand's rudimentary plan A appeared to be heavily influenced by Pakistan's terrible first-innings effort. They bowled outside off stump to the left-hand openers, who normally are crease-bound, hoping they would reach out and commit mistakes. To Butt, who tends to fall over on his front foot, they occasionally brought the ball back in to try force an lbw, and for Farhat they had a short mid-off in place and waited for the airy drive.

Plan A didn't work, though, for the openers were determined not to chase anything they didn't have to and also because there was not much help from the pitch. Slowly, the batsmen began to play square and cover drives and New Zealand started to bowl with more imagination in the second session. The seamers attacked the stumps more, slipped in the odd delivery outside off and Vettori as usual was on target. However, Butt and Farhat continued to be patient and reaped the benefits.

Both batsmen stayed adjacent to the line of the ball and generally favoured the off side more with their drives, bottom-hand punches and cuts. The disciplined effort was in stark contrast to the extravagance in the first innings but they might have learnt hard lessons from watching Vettori and Tuffey thrive when New Zealand batted.

Tuffey's innings showed how good the Napier pitch was for batting. It also said much about Pakistan's listless bowling display and highlighted the mess they dragged themselves into due to a poor first-innings performance. As you would expect from a third-day track, Danish Kaneria found some spin and completed his five-for but the morning belonged to Vettori and Tuffey.

Vettori cruised along, using his bottom hand to flash length deliveries through cover and carve short-of-a-length balls through cover point, and continued to improvise without much risk. Like he did so effectively last evening, Vettori teased Pakistan with his calculated shuffles. He moved towards off to flick to square-leg and would create more room for his cuts by arching back. Pakistan didn't have anyone with pace to hurry Vettori into making mistakes and it took a stunning fielding effort to dismiss him. Vettori drove one well to the left of short extra cover where Umar Akmal flung himself to hold on to the catch.

Tuffey had a few problems against Kaneria - he was dropped, on 32, by Umar Gul at long-leg off an attempted sweep and survived couple of appeals for lbw - but he was solid against the fast bowlers. He handled the short ball without problems and cut at every opportunity. He brought up the fifty partnership with Vettori and his half-century with cut shots, and dispatched Kaneria over long-on. Tuffey's best, though, was an on drive that bisected long-on and long-off. He leaned forward to a flighted legbreak, took his front leg out of the way and drove through the line, past the startled bowler.

It was a shot that a top-order batsman would have been proud of, and it not only reflected his confidence but also said much about Pakistan's state of mind. By the day's close, however, Pakistan's openers had redressed the imbalance and left it open to several results.

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Butt denies reports about rift in team

Karachi, Nov.14 : Notwithstanding Younis Khan's remarks about altercations among senior players in the team, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt has said there is no rift inside the squad.

"I don't believe in these speculations. Every time the team is not doing well, these kind of speculations and rumours (of internal rift) start coming around, and there is nothing like that in the team. Younis needed a break and he took it," Butt said.

Commenting on Mohammad Yousuf's appointment as the Test captain, Butt told media persons over phone from Dubai that he was the best option available following Younus Khan opting out of the series against New Zealand.

"We concluded that Yousuf is the best choice at this time to lead the team as he is the senior most player in the side. He was the ideal alternative and there were no disagreements over his appointment and we are confident he can do the job in New Zealand," The Dawn quoted Butt, as saying.

Meanwhile, reports are that the PCB's Governing Council is unimpressed by Butt's decision to appoint Yousuf as the skipper for the New Zealand series without consulting it.

Council members Wazir Ali Khoja, who is likely to replace Butt after his retirement, and Muhammad Ali Shah claimed that he did not take the council into confidence while announcing Yousuf's name for captaincy.

"Perhaps because he (Butt) was in Dubai and everything was happening there, so he took decisions.But, with improved communication facilities in the modern day world, the PCB chairman could have set a good example by talking to the council members on a very important issue," Khoja said.

Referring reports about differences among players in the team, Khoja said things would get clear only when Butt briefs the council personally over the issue.

"From the way things have gone, it looks the players were not happy with Younis so he stepped down but we will only know the real story when the chairman returns and we get a briefing from him," he said.

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