Test winds down to respectable draw for tourists

In the end it was Pakistan who had the final say. After a mammoth, ninth-wicket stand between the centurian Yousuf Youhana and Saqlain Mushtaq had propelled the home side to within 79 runs of England's first-innings total, the Pakistani bowlers reduced the visitors to 77 for four by the time the draw was agreed at four o'clock yesterday.

Of course, once Pakistan had avoided the follow-on by the skin of their teeth on Saturday, the remainder of the game was going to be about little other than points-scoring. On such days, when the pressure eases and tired cricketers can be vulnerable, it is important to try to escape unscathed.

But that went by the board in the course of a memorably fierce new-ball burst from Wasim Akram, proving a point after some criticism of his lacklustre bowling in the first innings (he had spent time icing an ankle so there may have been mitigation). During Akram's spell, the England captain, Nasser Hussain, was hit a nasty blow on his right wrist in attempting to hook a short ball.

A subsequent X-ray revealed no fracture and, speaking after the game, Hussain, his wrist encased in strapping, explained that the injury would be treated as one to soft tissue and that he was hopeful of being fit for the second Test in Faisalabad.

It may be some days before there is definite confirmation that all is well, because often a fracture reveals itself only once swelling has subsided. Hussain will have a further consultation with a specialist today at the same time as he undergoes an injection to ease the discomfort in his back.

Hussain was pleased with the overall performance of his team in a match that many observers expected to be over inside three or four days, with England struggling against the Pakistan spinners. In fact, although it was an exceptional toss to win - and no doubt will be in the next two Tests - England showed a lot of character and variation in method in countering the spin of Saqlain and Mushtaq, in particular Graham Thorpe's diligent century and the vibrancy of Craig White.

Saqlain bowled himself inside out during this match and deserved his nine wickets (it helps to have a bit of mystery on slow pitches, was Hussain's view), but Mushtaq who did not take a wicket until he had Mike Atherton lbw in the second innings, looked short of form and may find himself ousted by the young pretender Danish Kanaria.

There is a feeling, though, that England, should they encounter precisely these conditions next time around, might well consider a different XI. Unquestionably, the situation demanded two spinners, but well though Ashley Giles acquitted himself through 56 overs, Ian Salisbury, sadly, represented too high a risk; this was made clear on Saturday when, until after Youhana took Pakistan to safety, he was allowed just two mundane overs at the start of play and another four after lunch.

If the captain cannot trust his spinner, then the bowler may as well not be there. White's fine use of reverse swing, and some good work from Andy Caddick, too, showed that pace has its place even on placid, dusty pitches. Without trying to pre-empt next week's pitch, England would do well to consider the option of the extra batsman in Faisalabad.

It took England until 25 minutes after lunch yesterday before White had Mushtaq leg before wicket to end the Pakistan innings. On Saturday, they had had just the sniff of something more positive when, with Pakistan needing 281 to avoid the prospect of following on, they had seven wickets down for 273.

At this point Youhana had just 37 but found an adhesive partner in Saqlain. Together the pair added 127 for the ninth wicket, Youhana reaching 124, with a six and eight fours in more than six hours - his fourth and highest Test hundred and third in eight innings - before he gave Giles his fourth wicket by edging to Alec Stewart.

Saqlain, though, remained steadfast to the end, 32 not out in four hours batting. White may have been a challenger for manof-the-match, but few quibbled when it went to the offspinner. Not in Pakistan anyway.