Inzy's Day Out

Inzamam-ul Haq celebrated his centenary Test with agrand hundred as Pakistan compiled a strong total in their bid for a series-levellingvictory against India in the third and final Test today.

Inzamam slammed an unbeaten 184 to help Pakistan reacha commanding 323 for two on the opening day of the decider at the Chinnaswamystadium.

The 35-year-old burly batsman, only the fourthPakistani to play in 100 or more Tests, became the fifth player ever to registera century in the milestone match.

Lending him solid support was his deputy Younis Khanwith a back-to-back hundred of his own and by stumps was unbeaten on 127.

It was a day of run glut as the duo built up a mammoththird-wicket stand of 316 runs from 524 balls.

The loss of two openers inside the third over at thestart turned out to be a mere blip on the radar. And once the floodgates opened,the Indians were swept away by the run deluge.

The Indian bowling lacked penetration, and on a slowwicket, posed little problems for Inzamam who was in imperious form.

Harbhajan Singh, under the ICC microscope after beingreported during the second Test, looked an ordinary bowler. Anil Kumble wasrepeatedly smashed all over the park, the dead track taking the sting out of histop spinners.

The triple century partnership helped Pakistan shrug off early setbacks whentheir openers were back in the pavilion with only seven runs on the board.

The team was struggling in the third over after losingthe wickets of Shahid Afridi (0) and Yasir Hameed (6) before the marathonpartnership guided them out of the woods.

Inzamam has so far faced 263 balls and struck 25 boundariesduring his 357 minute stay at the crease while Younis had consumed 361 minutesfor his 267-ball knock which contained 12 fours and a six.

The duo created a new record for any partnership atBangalore, surpassing the 207-run stand between Gordon Greenidge and Clive Lloydachieved here in the 1974-75 series.

Inzamam also became the highest individual run-getterat Bangalore, obliterating Sachin Tendulkar's 177 against Australia in 1997-98.

Inzamam's 21st career century meant the man from Multanjoined a select band of players who have registered century on their 100thappearance.

Colin Cowdrey (England), Gordon Greenidge (WI), JavedMiandad (Pak) and Alec Stewart (Eng) were the other players to have accomplishedthe feat before.

Inzamam was also the fourth Pakistani to play in 100 ormore Tests after Miandad (124), Wasim Akram (104) and Salim Malik (103).

Inzamam, winning the toss for the first time in six Tests, elected to bat on aslow track but the Indians were on top when they had both the openers back inthe pavilion inside the third over.

Afridi was out for a first ball duck when he edged LakshmipathyBalaji to Rahul Dravid at first slip in the second over.

Irfan Pathan consumed Yasir Hameed (6) when the righthander flashed outside off stump for a simple catch to wicketkeeper DineshKaarthick.

Inzamam and Younis then put on a strong partnership forthe third wicket to deny any more success to the home team.

Inzamam was in imperious form. With the ball slow incoming off the pitch, the Pakistani captain had all the time in the world toplay his shots.

Pathan and Balaji posed little problems but the slowbowlers were the most to suffer.

Both Kumble and Harbhajan erred in length and Inzamamdismissed them contemptuously.

Inzamam reached his fifty with a four off Harbhajan tolong off. It was his 39th career half century and fifth against India.

After the lunch break, the pair stepped up the runrate. Younis reached his half-century with a smashing boundary of Pathan.

When they added 135 runs together, they broke therecord for the third wicket partnership at Bangalore that stood in the name ofJaved Miandad and Mudassar Nazar (1979-80).

PTI