Ganguly, Ishant sparkle after Misbah’s fightback

Dec 12:  Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq (133 not out) came up with yet another resolute century to defy Indian attack holding the fort from one end despite losing partners from the other as lanky paceman Ishant Sharma gave four quick denting blows to rattle the Pakistan tail and to conclude their first innings at 537 on day four of the final Test played at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

If the first two sessions belonged to Misbah and Ishant, last session was clearly dominated by Bengal tiger Sourav Ganguly as he raced to his half-century after losing Indian openers Wasim Jaffer (18) and Gautam Gambhir (3) early on.

Ganguly (63) stitched an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 105 with Rahul Dravid (35) to take India at 131 for two at the end of day four, taking their overall lead to 220 to dash the hopes of visitors' securing an impossible series-levelling victory.

Earlier in the morning, Misbah-ul-Haq's unbeaten century brought the visitors 89 runs short of India's first-innings total of 626. In-form Misbah involved in two crucial partnerships to bail out visitors after resuming at 369 for five.

Misbah hit 17 fours in his 322-ball essay for his second century after scoring his maiden ton in the drawn second test in Kolkata. He took his overnight sixth-wicket stand with Kamran Akmal (65) to 144 helping his side to avoid the follow-on and pushing the match towards draw.

Later he shared in an amusing seventh wicket partnership of 93 runs with debutant Yasir Arafat (44).

The 33-year old Misbah, proved lone throne in India’s quest of winning the series with a 2-0 margin, perturbed the Indian spin duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh with his solid defence.

Akmal again rescued Pakistan to avoid follow on, after scoring his eighth fifty and with a fine alliance with Misbah, stumped off Harbhajan followed by Arafat. His dismissal started out the collapse with rest of the wickets fall by adding just 12 runs.

19-year-old Delhi lad Ishant Sharma playing in his second test got his first fiver, after he cleaned up the tail in a 6.1-over spell.

Sharma caught and bowled Danish Kaneria for four to complete his first five-wicket haul after yorking Mohammad Sami for one and had Shoaib Akhtar caught at short-leg also for one. India conceded a dubious distinctive Test record 76 extra, the previous mark being 71 by West Indies.