THE THIRD DAY PAKISTAN v INDIA 2nd Test at Lahore

Another absorbing day full of twists and turns. The day started as if scripted by some Bollywood movie moguls with India making the now almost customary fightback with Irfan Pathan leading the way with an inspired burst of bowling with the still newish second (or was it third) new ball. Inzamam, rock solid the previous day got a delivery that is his achilles heel - the late inswinging deliver that thuds into his pads catching him having planted his leg in the path of the ball but with no avenue for getting it out of that path...plus an old Inzi weakness in that he tends to fall over to the offside a touch. He was palpably out and a few moments later the dangerous looking Youhanna followed having kissed a superbly bowled leg cutter by the every trying Laxmipathy Balaji. This bought in the recalled young lefthander Asim Kamal (Not pronounced Aseeem (Please not Sanjay Manjrekar) who appeared to be all dogged, strokeless defence in the initial part of his innings but as he gained confidence, the bad balls began being dispatched for boundaries and all of a sudden a the lead which was looking as though it would be easily contained, once again started to get out of hand for the visitors especially as Pathan and Balaji ran out of steam.

Yet again Pakistan benefitted from some very close umpiring decisions that seemed to go in their favour - but fortune favours the brave and it was an uncharacteristically brave and resiliant Pakistani effort during this match that has seen them to the stage where this morning they have to wrap up another five wickets before making their push for victory. Sehwag remains in the way, but surely another triple century is a little too much to ask from the Delhi Rapier at this point. Meanwhile, a touch of suspense has been created by the weather this morning as Lahore had woken up to an overcast sky with even some distant rumbling of thunder in the distance. However the clouds don't seem to be too threatening at this stage and the sun is slowly threatening to break through.

This has been quite a turnaround by the Pakistani team and even Javed Miandad seems to be putting in some honest graft rather than gesticulating like an imbecile from the balcony - though hopefully the Board will realize that the time for a far more professional approach to matters of coaching and fitness is required and ex greats despite how great they were in their glory day should not be allowed to land lucrative coaching spots unless they provide the necessarry degrees and certificates that prove that they are indeed QUALIFIED to hold a position as a sports coach. Scoring 10,000 runs or taking 400 wickets does not mean that you are automatically the best coach in town! That moribund mentality has to be dumped once and for all.