To the great surprise of one and all, the Pakistan opening pair actually survived more than ten overs at Trent Bridge yesterday. This was partly because Jonty Rhodes missed what was by his standards a sit-■ ter. and Shahid Afridi was not playing at all.

Obviously this was too good .to be true. Saeed Anwar finally managed to get the edge he was trying to find ever since he got in to bat, leaving the stage to the young bucks in the side to shore up the innings. The South African quickies were never likely to create much of an impression, but Pakistan made heavy weather of the rather pedestrian attack. Ijaz hung around in typical ungainly fashion for a while, but his dismissal was always on the cards.

The mouth watering prospect of Inzamam taking on the South African fielders was a

gourmet’s delight. He backed himself against Rhodes’ agility and paid the heavy price, which almost proved fatal for Pakistan. Had it not been for Moin Khan doing the Houdini, Pakistan would have been in dire straits. Once again this enterprising and intrepid bundle of energy took on the bowling single-handedly. Fielders scampered every which way and the bowlers were pitching their deliveries on lengths not really prescribed by Dr. Woolmer at all. Pakistan, who looked dead and gone for quite sometime, suddenly resurrected themselves from the ashes.

Hansie Cronje has the same problem as the Pakistanis. He too is burdened by an opening pair that is refusing to come alive. Once again, a combination of out of form early order and some penetrative bowling by the new firm of Akram & Akhtar rocked South'.Africa on its back foot. In next to no time, they were 5 down for about sixty and staring down the barrel of the gun. It was Ehsanul Kader at this stage, who was critical of Saqlain being brought into the attack. As a cricketer. I was not quite ready to buy his theory, but as a layman there was plenty of common sense ingrained in Kader’s profundity. The skipper had a Hobson's choice, the gamble was on and he took it. Of all the cogs in the wheel that was meant to perform. Saqlain it was that let his captain down.

Relieved of the pressure of the nagging medium fast bowling. Kallis and Pollock broke free. Suddenly. Pakistan saw the improbable about to happen. They were making more than a match of their meagre total but a different graffiti was being written on the wall. It was going down to the wire. Would Pakistan’s famed fighting qualities pull them through or would their eoually notorious temperament let them down again? It was the sort of metaphysical question asked so many times before regarding matters related to Pakistan. What was the answer likely to be? Kallis and Pollock fell just when they seemed to have pulled off the Impossible. The stakes were never as high. Was

it going to be another of Klusen-er's trademark innings that would allow South Africa to scrape through? The questions were hurtling thick and fast.

Lance Klusener did exactly what Moin Khan did for Pakistan. The Pakistanis knew that as well as anyone the counter attack was coming from this flank. The fact that Klusener was a left hander . made the essential difference. Saqlain was harried into changing his line while Shoaib at the death proved that there are still miles to go. before he can subdue a batsman who is ready to take him on toe to toe. eye to eye. South Africa gratefully limped past the post while Pakistan was left wondering what might have been. They came close, but it was not close enough. It was a match to remember though.

The omens do not portend well for Pakistan. Can they exorcise the ghost of Bangladesh?