Dire Straits

India were staring at defeat in the second Test against Pakistan in Lahore today after yet  another inept batting display by its top order with the exception of Virender Sehwag who was unbeaten on a defiant 86.

At 149 for 5 at close of the third day's play, the visitors were still behind by 53 runs and only rain, of whichthere is little prospect, or another massive innings by the dashing opener can come in the way of Pakistan squaring the series.

Faced with a big 202 first innings deficit, the Indians capitulated again on a wicket which eventhe Pakistani tailenders had enjoyed batting earlier in the day. Sehwag alone stood among the  ruins and lived to fight tomorrow.

The visions of a great Indian fightback faded fast when opener Aakash Chopra was declared leg before wicket to adoubtful decision, stand-in captain Rahul Dravid (0) ran himself out without facing a ball, Sachin Tendulkar (8) fellleg before to an incoming delivery for the second time in the  match and V.V.S. Laxman (13) too did not last long.

First innings centurion Yuvraj Singh (12) also faltered, leaving the side tottering at 105 for five before wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel(13 not out) joined Sehwag in an unbroken 44-run partnership.

The visitors may have given away the match when Dravid, in a fit of misplaced bravado, chose to bat on a green-topwicket specially tailored for the desperate Pakistani fast bowlers. If the wicket was the cause for first innings failureof India's top guns, there was no explanation for the rot in the second innings.

The day had begun very well for the Indian bowlers who removed Pakistan's two best batsmen, skipper Inzamam-ul Haqand his deputy Yousuf Youhana very early.

Inzamam fell lbw to Pathan in the very first over of the day at his overnightscore of 118 and L Balaji got rid of Youhana for 72.

India's hopes of restricting Pakistan's lead were further raised by quick dismissals of Kamran Akmal and MohammadSami, but then Asim Kamal (73) joined hands with the remaining tailenders to carry the score to 489, in reply to thevisitors' first innings tally of 287.

The Indian innings could not have started on a more disastrous note as they lost five of their top batsmen withinthe first 25 overs against a charged-up Pakistani pace bowling attack.

Chopra was adjudged leg before wicket off Shoaib Akhtar and then Dravid was run out by a direct hit fromImran Farhat just at the stroke of tea to leave the visitors in a daze before a small but vociferous home crowd at theGaddafi Stadium.

The Indians then suffered a big blow when Tendulkar was trapped leg before by Sami with a ball that kept atrifle low while first innings' bowling hero Umar Gul brought Laxman's 44-minute stay at the crease to an end with a gem ofa delivery which moved out to knock down the stumps.

Yuvraj paid the price for poking at an away-going delivery from Sami as Kamran Akmal took a smart catch behindthe stumps. 

The third day's play began in dramatic fashion as the Indians fought back brilliantly by snapping four quick wicketsin an eventful first hour's play which saw the home team slump from a comfortable overnight score of 355 for three to 386 forseven.

Pathan, who went wicketless yesterday, fired the first salvo by claiming the prized scalp of Inzamam whose 243-ballknock came in 323 minutes and contained 14 boundaries.

Balaji then brought more cheers for the team by removing Youhana who fished at an away going delivery and onlysucceeded in edging it to Patel behind the stumps.

Youhana's 72 came off 153 balls and was laced with 13 fours. Akmal (5) and Sami (2) also did not lastlong, both of them being removed by Pathan who produced a tidy opening spell.

But newcomer Kamal and Akhtar hung around resolutely and even punished the loose balls to the boundaryto add vital runs to the Pakistani lead.

The visitors were rewarded immediately after the lunch break with leg spinner Anil Kumble accounting for the stubbornShoaib who went for a shot on the on-side but failed to time  it properly and Yuvraj latched on to a brilliant catch in the mid-wicket region.

New man Umar Gul, who came to the crease after Shoaib's dismissal, frustrated the Indians by hanging around for sometime and adding vital runs with Kamal who unleashed some stunning shots on both sides of the wicket to force the paceof scoring.

Kamal and Gul put on 46 runs for the ninth wicket partnership before Gul's stout resistance came to an end in abizarre fashion.

The youngster, who claimed a career-best five wicket haul in the Indian first innings, tried to pull Tendulkar butdislodged the stumps with his leg and was out hit wicket.

With just Danish Kaneria left to give him company, Kamal opened up to play some glorious shots. He took two runs offTendulkar to notch up his second half century of his career and then gave a more aggressive batting display, first liftingKumble for a huge six over long off and then giving  Tendulkar a similar treatment with another six.

Kamal's belligerence came to an end when Kumble induced an edge to bring the Pakistani first innings to an end 73 minutes after the lunch break.

PTI