Pakistan were bowled out for 504 in reply to England's first innings 173, a lead of 331 runs, on the third day of the fourth and final Test at The Oval here Saturday. In reply England were 78 for 1 chasing 331 lead set by Pakistan in the first innings.
At tea Pakistan were 444 for seven, a lead of 271, after Yousuf had scored 128 in a match the tourists are playing for pride with England having already wrapped up the series.
Faisal Iqbal was 30 not out after Shahid Nazir (17) was caught off the last ball before tea by Matthew Hoggard off fellow quick Sajid Mahmood. On a pitch possibly freshened by rain which meant only 33.5 overs had so far been bowled in the day, England's pace bowlers looked a threat for the first time in this match.
Spearhead quick Stephen Harmison had been well below his best during more than 22 wicketless overs where he conceded 98 runs. But the Durham fast bowler took two wickets for one run in 15 balls to dismiss Yousuf and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal (15). However, this effort did nothing to answer the criticism that Harmison was the bowling equivalent of a 'flat-track' bully, unable to take important wickets in less than helpful conditions.
And the renewed life in the pitch would have been welcome by Pakistan's quick bowlers, who'd dismissed England for a lowly first innings 173. Pakistan started the day on 336 for three with Yousuf 115 not out, after twice being dropped in single figures, and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq two not out.
Yousuf's century followed his 202 in the drawn first Test at Lord's and 192 in England's series-clinching 167-run third Test triumph at Headingley. It was also his fourth hundred in five Tests against England.
During the course of his innings Yousuf became the leading run scorer in Test cricket this year, his tally now standing at 1,123 runs. And the right-hander's current series aggregate of 631 runs was the most by a player for either side in an England-Pakistan Test campaign.
Harmison had gone wicketless for more than 22 largely lacklustre overs, conceding 98 runs in the process. But after an hour-long rain break, Inzamam, on 31, nicked a lifting delivery from Harmison to England captain Andrew Strauss at second slip.
It was Harmison's first wicket in 281 balls since he dismissed Yousuf for 192 at Headingley.
Then, six balls later, 379 for four became 381 for five when Yousuf edged Matthew Hoggard through to wicket-keeper Chris Read. In all Yousuf batted for nearly five-and-three-quarter hours, facing 236 balls with 18 fours. But he was a becalmed figure Saturday with only six scoring shots in 45 balls.
After Akmal was well held by third slip Paul Collingwood, Nazir, on 14, was dropped by Hoggard off Monty Panesar. That was England's fifth drop of the innings, the previous four all off Hoggard with Yousuf missed on five and nine by first slip Marcus Trescothick and gully Alastair Cook respectively.
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Pakistan 1st Innings (overnight: 336-3)
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Mohammad Hafeez c Strauss b Hoggard 95
Imran Farhat c Trescothick b Hoggard 91
Younis Khan c Read b Mahmood 9
Mohammad Yousuf c Read b Hoggard 128
Inzamam-ul-Haq c Strauss b Harmison 31
Faisal Iqbal not out 58
Kamran Akmal c Collingwood b Harmison 15
Shahid Nazir c Hoggard b Mahmood 17
Umar Gul lbw b Panesar 13
Danish Kaneria c Trescothick b Harmison 15
Mohammad Asif c Cook b Harmison 0
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Extras: (b4, lb9, w11, nb8) 32
Total: (all out, 129.5 overs) 504
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Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-148, 3-325, 4-379, 5-381, 6-398, 7-444, 8-475, 9-504, 10-504
Bowling: Hoggard 34-2-124-3 (6nb); Harmison 30.5-6-125-4 (1nb, 3w); Mahmood 27-3-101-2 (1nb); Panesar 30-6-103-1; Collingwood 6-0-29-0; Pietersen 2-0-9-0;
Toss: Pakistan
Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WIS), Darrell Hair (AUS)
TV umpire: Peter Hartley (ENG)
Match referee: Mike Procter (RSA).