Brilliant Wasim breaks two Test records

Cricket Zimbabwe 375 and 38-1 Pakistan 553

Wasim Akram, the Pakistan captain, hit a career-best unbeaten 257 and broke two world records in the First Test against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura yesterday.

His 12 sixes beat Wally Hammond's record of 10 against New Zealand in the 1932-33 series and his eighth-wicket partnership of 313 with Saqlain Mushtaq wiped out another elderly English record. The previous best, 246, was set in 1931 at Lord's by Les Ames and Gubby Allen.

Wasim's superb innings guided his side, at one stage on Friday perilously placed at 183 for 6, to a total of 553 and a first-innings lead of 178.

By the close of a fourth day shortened by rain and bad light Zimbabwe had reduced the arrears by 38 for the loss of Mark Dekker.

The partnership was eventually broken by Guy Whittal at 550 when he bowled Saqlain for a career-best 79.

Wasim, 144 overnight, was especially severe on the leg-spinner Paul Strang, whom he smashed for three sixes in one over, one of them going out of the ground over long-on, to move from 195 to 213.

Strang finished with 5 for 212 from 69 overs to become the 18th player to take five wickets and score a century in the same Test.

Fourth day; Zimbabwe won toss

ZIMBABWE - First innings 375 (G W Flower 110, P Strang 106no; Shahid Nazir 5-53).

PAKISTAN - First Innings

(Overnight 237 for 7)

*Wasim Akram not out 257

Saqlain Mushtaq b G J Whittal 79

Waqar Younis b G J Whittal 0

Shahid Nazir c Dekker b A Whittal 0

Extras (b10 lb8 nb5 w2) 25

Total 553

Fall (cont): 8-550 9-550.

Bowling: Olonga 19-6-60-1 (nb1, w1); B C Strang 20-2-34-0 (nb1, w1); A Whittal 45.2-7-146-2 (nb1); P A Strang 69-12-212-5 (nb1); G J Whittal 25-5-73-2 (nb1); G W Flower 10-4-10-0.

ZIMBABWE - Second innings

M H Dekker c Wasim b Saqlain 13

G W Flower not out 11

*A D R Campbell not out 14

Extras 0

Total (for 1) 38

Fall: 1-13

To bat: D L Houghton, A Flower, C B Wishart, G J Whitall, P A Strang, A Whitall, B C Strang, H K Olongo.

Bowling: Waqar Younis 4-0-15-0; Shahid Nazir 5-2-6-0; Saqlain Mushtaq 7-3-13-1; Wasim Akram 2-0-4-0.

Umpires: D Orchard (SA) and Khizar Hyat.