Cricket: Pakistan's ponderous progress: Latif holds the lower order together against Zimbabwe

Pakistan . . . . . . . . . . . . .388-8

Zimbabwe

JAVED MIANDAD and Rashid Latif hit half-centuries as Pakistan pressed home their advantage against tight Zimbabwe bowling in the first Test in Karachi yesterday.

Pakistan added only 191 in five hours, and reached 388 for 8 at the close of the second day. Rashid, Pakistan's wicketkeeper, held the lower order together with an unbeaten 52.

The Pakistanis were frustrated by Zimbabwe's pace bowler, Eddo Brandes, who took 3 for 96, and the off-spinner Stephen Peall, who marked his Test debut with 2 for 89.

Brandes forced Pakistan on to the defensive when he captured the wickets of Javed and Asif Mujtaba in quick succession just before lunch. Javed was trapped lbw for 70, ending an innings which contained seven fours. Asif was caught by Mark Dekker at third slip when he tried to square cut.

John Rennie had struck the morning's first blow for Zimbabwe with his first Test wicket, having opener Shoaib Mohammad caught at the wicket for 81 after adding only 10 to his overnight score.

Pakistan added 52 in the second session, losing Basit Ali, caught at the wicket off Guy Whittal for 36, and Waqar Younis to Grant Flower.

PAKISTAN - First Innings

(Overnight: 197 for 2)

Shoaib Mohammad c Flower b Rennie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 Javed Miandad lbw Brandes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Basit Ali c Flower b Whittal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Asif Mujtaba c Dekker b Brandes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Rashid Latif not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 * Waqar Younis c Peall b Flower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Mushtaq Ahmed c Flower b Peall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Tauseef Ahmed not out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Extras (b9 lb12 nb1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Total (for 8, 150 overs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388

To bat: Ata-ur-Rehman.

Fall (cont): 3-217 4-268 5-280 6-305 7-332 8-363.

Bowling (to date): Brandes 32-4-96-3; Streak 29-6-77-0; Rennie 30-6-71-1; Whittal 12-4-26-1; Peall 41-10-89-2; Flower 6-2-8-1.

South Africa, depleted by illness and injury, lost the opening match of their Australian tour to an Australian Prime Minister's XI by four runs in Canberra yesterday. The Prime Minister's team scored 156 off a rain-reduced 42 overs, then dismissed the tourists for 152 on the last ball.