Fearless Inzamam defies England

INZAMAM UL HAQ, the lumbering giant from the dust bowl town of Multan, bestrode Lord's yesterday to defy England in the First Test. The 26 year old Pakistani batsman smashed his way to a brilliant 148.

His effort almost singlehandedly prevented Mike Atherton's team from taking total control of the Test after the skipper had lost the toss for the fourth time this summer. But a ball change soon after tea, producing one which began to swing more than its predecessor, helped England's bowlers restrict Pakistan to 290 for nine.

England's gritty display, which ended with Alan Mullally picking up three for 40, contributed much to a fascinating first day of a series which is being billed as the one to heal the wounds of the past.

Inzamam reached his fifth Test ton with a fearless six struck high over a man positioned at long on. Two balls earlier he had swung Graeme Hick's off spin between deep mid wicket and long on for four - and it was a couple of blows that made a nonsense of the so called nervous nineties and summed up perfectly Inzamam's approach to batting.

Such was Inzamam's command that he looked genuinely amazed when inside edging a delivery from Mullally into his stumps with Pakistan's total on 267.