Pakistan avoid follow-on

Pakistan 333-8 at stumps

Middle-order batsman Yousuf Youhana stayed at the crease with tailender Saqlain Mushtaq to help Pakistan avoid a follow-on on the fourth day of the first cricket Test against England Saturday.

Middle-order batsman Yousuf Youhana stayed at the crease with tailender Saqlain Mushtaq to help Pakistan avoid a follow-on on the fourth day of the first cricket Test against England Saturday.

Youhana was unbeaten at 77 with Pakistan, needing 281 runs to make England bat again, finishing the day at 333 for eight. At stumps Pakistan trailed by 147 runs to England's first innings of 480 for eight declared.

Both batsmen were involved in a valuable 60-run unfinished ninth wicket partnership with Mushtaq batting on 14 when umpires called off the day's play due to bad light four overs before scheduled close.

Youhana, who brought up his half century in style when he pulled Craig White for a big six, hit five boundaries in his unbeaten 77.

Pakistan was in danger of batting again after losing eight wickets for 273.

White, who made 93 in England's impressive first innings of 480 for eight declared, raised England's hopes of a possible win when he took two wickets in the first session with his gentle medium pace.

Resuming at the overnight 119 for two, Inzamam-ul Haq (63) and Salim Elahi (44) added 98 runs for the third wicket before Pakistan lost three wickets in just 11 runs.

Elahi was dropped by captain Nasser Hussain at silly point when he was on 38 before he dragged White's delivery back onto his stumps off an inside edge.

Haq survived a confident leg before appeal off paceman Andrew Caddick at 36, and went on to score his 28th test half century off 84 deliveries which included nine boundaries. However, Haq was completely deceived by left-arm spinner Ashley Giles and was bowled for 63.

White then reduced Pakistan to 210 for five at lunch when Graeme Hick caught debutante 18-year-old Qaiser Abbas (2) at gully in the last over before the break.

Youhana received little support from the rest of the middle-order batsmen in the second session as Pakistan was further reduced to 276 for eight. Pakistan's captain Moin Khan (17) was unlucky to be adjudged leg before. Abdur Razzaq offered not a run to became White's third victim of the innings before Wasim Akram (1) pushed gently off left-arm spinner Giles to well positioned White at short mid-wicket.

White and Giles both picked up three wickets each for 48 and 97 runs respectively. However, leg-spinner Ian Salisbury struggled like Pakistan leg-break bowler Mushtaq Ahmed on a slow wicket and was yet to take a wicket off his 20 overs which cost him 52 runs.

Scoreboard at the end of fourth day's play in the first cricket Test between Pakistan and England Saturday.

England First Innings (480 for eight declared)

Pakistan First Innings (Overnight 119 for 2)

Saeed Anwar lbw b Hick 40 Shahid Afridi c Gough b Giles 52 Salim Elahi b White 44 Inzamam-ul Haq b Giles 63 Yousuf Youhana not out 77 Qaiser Abbas c Hick b White 2 Moin Khan lbw b Caddick 17 Abdur Razzaq lbw b White 10 Wasim Akram c White b Giles 1 Saqlain Mushtaq not out 14 Extras (byes-1, leg byes-5, no balls-7) 13 Total (For 8 wickets) 333

Fall of wickets: 1-63, 2-101, 3-199, 4-203, 5-210, 6-236, 7-272, 8-273

To bat: Mushtaq Ahmed

England Bowling Darren Gough 14-4-40-0, Andrew Caddick 20-3-55-1, Ashley Giles 48-15-97-3, Ian Salisbury 20-2-52-0, Graeme Hick 6-0-35-1, Craig White 18-4-48-3 (6-no balls)

Overs: 126

Toss: England

Umpires: Riazuddin (Pakistan), Darrell Hair (Australia); TV replays: Salim Badar; match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).