Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) Pakistan was on the verge of a victory, possibly by an innings, at the close of play on the third day of the second Test at Queens Sports Club here Monday.

Facing a target of 225 to avoid an innings defeat, Zimbabwe was 171 for five, still 54 runs short with five wickets in hand.

The home team scored a meagre 178 in its first innings, which handed Pakistan the advantage before it went on to reply with a convincing 403. Pakistan should be able to complete the double some time Tuesday and thus mop up both Tests inside four days.

With Pakistan beginning the day on 295 for five, Zimbabwe was obliged to cope with Yousuf Youhana and Kamran Akmal, who were set to build on the foundations of a good sixth wicket partnership.

Youhana's 159 secured for his side an almost unassailable position. Akmal went on to make a spirited 52, his first half-century in Tests, and the two put on 121 together.

Once they had gone, Zimbabwe ripped through the tail, but it was too late - the damage had been done.

Zimbabwe's effort to whittle down that 225-run deficit before the day was out got off to a bad start. It had seen three failures in succession from the top order. And it was made to watch in despair again.

Dion Ebrahim made only seven before he was trapped lbw by Waqar Younis, while the debutant Mark Vermeulen promised much before being dismissed the same way by the same bowler for 26.

It now fell to the senior Zimbabwe batsmen to dig the team out of the hole. Grant Flower made 43 before being bowled by Shoaib Akhtar and Alistair Campbell was looking dangerous and with growing confidence when he dragged a ball from Mohammad Sami onto his stumps that was too close to cut. They put on 88 for the third wicket.

Akhtar, who had a rough time in the early part of the day, being hit for sixes by both Alistair Campbell and Grant Flower, got his revenge later. He hit Flower twice on the ankle with yorkers, struck him on the helmet, and bowled him next ball.

That left only Andy Flower of the established batsmen. His partner Hamilton Masakadza, whose previous Test scores were 9, 0 and 0, made only 16 before falling lbw to Saqlain with the last ball of the day. Saqlain did not live up to expectation but he will be called on to try and deliver the coup de grace.

Copyright AFP 2001

Extras:
Scorecard of 2nd Test
Pakistan takes advantage with Youhana's 10th century