On day 3 of the Pentangular Trophy, Pakistan opener Salman Butt hit a career best 290 to lead Punjab to an imposing total of 599-7 declared, leading Federal Capital by 216 runs. Salman past his previous first class best of 206 and scored at almost run a ball for his 290. What was most astonishing about his innings was the significent percentage of runs hat came from boundaries - he hit FIFTY 4s and a six. He got to his previous first class best in boundaries alone!

He was ably supported by Nasir Jamshed, who continued his amazing form this season with a polished 108. Nasir shared a 290 run 2nd wicket partnership with Salman. Nasir's knock was unlike his swashbuckling ODI innings against Zimbabwe and he took up 180 odd deliveries for his century. I hope that this boy is here to stay and he's not another Nazir or Farhat in the making.

Mohammad Yousuf hit a rapid 56 of as many deliveries with 9 hits to the fence, while Misbah (9) and Kamran Akmal (23) lost their wickets in an effort to score fast. The Capital bowlers led by Shoaib Akhtar were listless for the entire day. Akhtar and Yasir Arafat bowled 18 overs each without any luck, while Sohail Tanvir bowled 25 giving away over a 100 runs and picking up the lone wicket on the previous day.

Federal Capital ended day 3 on 37-3 with the top 3 back in the hut and still 179 behind Punjab with 1 day to go.

In the other game, Sindh turned the tables once more on NWFP and are on their way to victory needing another 179 runs with all their wickets intact.

Resuming their innings on 146-3, only 3 runs behind, NWFP folded for 254, as Pakistan leg spinner Danish Kaneria ran through their middle and lower order with 5 wickets. Danish ended with 5-62 of 25 overs and was well backed up by young pacer Anwar Ali (3-66). NWFP skipper Younis Khan was the only one to put up some resistance scoring 111 with 19 boundaries, before falling to the spin of his counterpart Shahid Afridi.

Chasing 309, the Sindh openers Khurram Manzoor and Khalid Latif batted watchfully to ensure they don't repeat their 1st inning failures. It paid of for them as Sindh ended the day on 130 without losing any wicket. Khurram was unbeaten on 74 and Khalid on 56.

So after a day of turning tables, the favorites Punjab and Sindh are back in the driving seats and look set to end victorious on the final day.

From a Pakistani point of view, the selectors should be pleased to see in-form openers led by Salman Butt and Nasir Jamshed, Khurram Manzoor, and Khalid Latif. Add Hafeez to that mix I think Pakistan has a decent pool to rely on in ODIs and Tests. Yousuf and Younis have also looked in good touch, while Kaneria's form with the ball is a good sign as he has had a below par domestic and international season.

Stay tuned for the final day's results.

Congrats to all the Indians for managing to beat Pakistan in a test series at home for the first time in 27 years. It could have been 2-0 or even 3-0 had the Indians prepared less batting friendly wickets. In my preview of the test series I had made some predictions and here's how wrong I was. To recap, I had said the following:

"I predict results in all 3 matches, a decider at Bangalore, 500+ runs for Sachin Tendulkar, 20 wickets for Shoaib Akhtar, a Yuvi 100 in the 3rd test where he would have replaced Laxman, 2 centuries for Faisal Iqbal, question marks over Dravid's lack of runs, a career ending series for Kamran Akmal, the retention of Anil Kumble as captain for the series against Australia, and praise for skipper Shoaib Malik."

There was only 1 result, Bangalore wasn't a decider, Sachin didn't get 500+ but Ganguly did, Shoaib didn't get 20 wickets and no one else did either, Yuvraj did get the 100 but he hadn't replaced Laxman, Faisal didn't get 2 centuries but Misbah did, Dravid's form is being questioned, Akmal's batting form saved his a$$, Anil Kumble has been retained and praised, and Malik conveniently sat out the series.

Clearly the crystal ball isn't functioning well.

Top 5 of the series

1. Misbah Ul Haq - The 464 runs at an average of 116.00 don't speak as loudly as the manner in which they were scored. Batting with the tail in each test he managed scores of 82, 161*, and 133* and bailed Pakistan out of trouble each time. Had he not jumped in the 1st test he would have walked off not out in that innings too. He was the difference between a 1-0 and a 3-0 scoreline in this series. Hats off to the man. Pakistan have found the perfect replacement for Inzamam.

2. Saurav Ganguly - 534 runs at 89.00, 4 wickets at 19.25, a test best of 239, and a man of the series award. Who would have thought that a man fighting for his place in the test side a year ago would deliver in this way. Many thought his international career was over and many were calling for Yuvraj to replace him but Ganguly ended the series as the top scorer on both sides. People may say that he got a double hundred, a hundred, and a 91 against a below average bowling attack but it was the same attack that Sachin and Dravid faced. For me his best innings was the 48 at the fag end of the 4th day of the 1st test - the way he played on a pitch that other batsmen found impossible to bat on showed the kind of form he was in.

3. Anil Kumble - As always he was at his best with the ball. He was the highest wicket taker in the series with 18 wickets at 26.50. He kept at it like he always does. His captaincy though I am not impressed with. In the 1st test he looked very good but then a victory makes every captain look good but in the following 2 tests he wasn't attacking enough, lacked innovation in the field, lost his cool several times when the wickets weren't coming, and appealed desperately. Australia will be a test for him, especially when his own wickets will dry up.

4. Wasim Jaffer - This man will open for India for the next decade and get plenty of runs. With the bat, he reminds me of Azharuddin in his younger days. The double hundred he got was an exquisite and flawless knock and he had a very bright future to look forward to. He was the 2nd highest run scorer for India after Ganguly and that is some feat considering he plays in the same XI as Sachin, Dravid, and Laxman.

5. Yuvraj Singh - In the only test he played he scored 169 on the 1st day and took 2 wickets on the last day. And yet he doesn't have a permanent place in India's XI. Goes to show how much stronger the Indian team was going into this series. Its hard to keep Yuvi out of a top performer list these days - he has been in the best form of his life this year and India need to find a way to fit him into the team sheet before Kumble goes out for the toss with Ricky Ponting in 2 weeks.

Players for the Future

Yasir Arafat - His morning spell on his 1st day of test cricket could have squared the series for Pakistan but Ganguly and Yuvi had different ideas. He bowled with pace and aggression and looked the fittest of all Pakistani pace bowlers. He has been on the fringes of selection for a long time now and had a brilliant debut with both ball and bat - looks like a bright future is ahead of him.

Ishant Sharma - are you kidding me? No chance in hell. Those who criticized him before he took his 5 wicket haul were right when they said the man doesn't have it for this level. He proved them right in Pakistan's 2nd innings as well. Ganguly's grand mom could have taken a 5-for against Pakistan's tail the way they played during this series.

Sohail Tanvir - He needs to work a bit with Wasim Akram and learn how to get the ball back in but he's a star in the making. I can feel it. The ball he got Dravid with in the 1st test will remain in memory just like Shoaib Akhtar's yorkers from the 99 tour to India.

Disappointments of the Series

Danish Kaneria - Much was expected from him and he flattered all of us with his shorter run up and all that jazz in the 1st test. But from thereon it was down hill. Pakistan need a quality spinner and they need one soon.

Mohammad Yousuf - his form of last season has ditched him and an average of 32.00 is well below his standards. Pakistan needed him more than ever without an Inzi to follow but Pakistan's premier batsman failed to deliver.

Dinesh Karthik - Prior to this series he was India's highest scorer in tests during 2007, but against Pakistan he just couldn't get going till his last innings of the series. Moreover his performance behind the stumps would have put a smile on Akmal's face.

Other Ramblings

The only reason I haven't put Shoaib Akhtar on that list is because I have realised that an unfit Akhtar is better than a fit Pakistan bowling attack put together. The man managed 3 tests in a row - how many times has he done this before?

Mohammad Sami gets full marks for trying but his days as a bowler look over. Maybe Pakistan can use him to solve their opening problems.

India go of to Australia now and I'm looking forward to that series - it has the potential to be a cracker!

Pakistan, on the other hand will host Zimbabwe for a 5 match ODI series and that should be a good opportunity to test some fresh legs. The likes of Khalid Latif, Anwar Ali, Fawad Alam, Najaf Shah, and Sarfraz Ahmed should get the chance to show their talent in that series. Let see if the selectors agree with me. Knowing how the selectors' minds and my crystal ball function, not many of those names will feature in the squad when its announced.

On a batsman's Paradise in Kolkata the Indian batsman dominated the Pakistani bowlers after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Jaffer dominated proceedings with an unbeaten 192 as he played an exquisite and elegant innings with shots all around the ground.



Tanvir did provide Pakistan an early breakthrough as Karthik was dismissed cheaply yet again as he edged one to Younis. Jaffer and Dravid then took control as they built up the innings. Dravid scored another sold half century before he was unlucky to be given out caught behind off Kaneria.



Out came Tendulkar and the Indian innings was in high gear from that moment. Tendulkar and Jaffer just went bilistic as they severely punished a mediocre Pakistani bowling performance. The fielding was lethargic and quite lackluster.



Jaffer was timing the ball immaculately and his placement was exceptional as he played some breathtaking drives and flicks reminiscent of Azharhuddin and Dravid. Sachin was in full swing with his blasting cover drives and majestic flicks. Tendulkar was provided with a lifeline as Kamran Akmal dropped a regulation keeper catch; it is really time for Pakistan to play a true keeper, Safraz really needs to be playing.



Kaneria did get Tendulkar with a beauitful googlie; not sure why he was not bowling more of those. The Prince of Kolkata walked in and stayed with Jaffer till close of play with India putting up a mammoth score of 352/3. Jaffer was unbeaten on an awesome 192 with 32 brilliant boundaries. A tough day for Pakistan's makeshift captain Younis Khan.

Friday is a day off in the Middle East so I woke up early in the morning to catch the LIVE action, hoping for a Misbah 100. That was not to happen, but I sure did enjoy the cricket throughout the day. I think India is slightly ahead at the end of day 2 but only slightly.

Here are some of the key things that I noticed during the day:

1. Ul Haqs playing for Pakistan will always manage to find the strangest ways of getting out.
   
2. Dravid wants his ODI spot back.
   
3. Best way to Ganguly out: Bowl a wide one and let him smash it for 4 and then bowl one coming into him - he would either play it on to the stumps or to the slips.
   
4. Mohd. Yousuf is a better fielder in test cricket than ODIs.
   
5. No one has been out caught in the slips in 2 days of cricket.
   
6. 20-20 cricket can be the stepping stone for new test players - examples: Misbah and Sohail Tanvir.
   
7. Geoff Lawson has his heart with Pakistan.
   
8. I still don't know what the commentators are smoking. Pakistan lost 5 wickets between lunch and tea yesterday, India lost 4 today and yet Rameez, Arun Lal, Bishop, Yardley & Co. keep saying that the 2nd session is the best time to bat.
   
9. The post tea session is the best time for batting. Pakistan lost no wickets yesterday and India lost only 1 today.
   
10. Malik has used Kaneria better than all other former captains he's bowled under.
    
11. Yuvraj Singh will have to continue bringing the drinks during test matches. Laxman's career is far from over and Ganguly is India's 3rd pacer.
    
12. Not only do umpires help Kumble get wickets at the Kotla (1999), they also help him stay at the crease (2007).