da stake casino： Danish Kaneria and Daren Ganga spoke to reporters at the end of the day’s play
da apostaganha： Osman Samiuddin at Multan22-Nov-2006
Danish Kaneria was severely mauled by Brian Lara but then ‘on this surface, any success, two, three or five wickets, is a victory in its own right’ © Getty Images
Seldom does a five-wicket haul occasion muted celebration, but a12th one for Danish Kaneria is one such instance. He did dismiss Brian Lara but it came at exorbitant cost. Then again, on this surface, any success, two, three or fivewickets, is a victory in its own right.The pitch was foremost on Kaneria’s mind after a day on which Pakistanpulled themselves out from a spot of considerable bother, asking localcurators to make more helpful tracks. “This wicket has no life at all andyou have to put a lot of effort into it. I know in the winter seasons inPunjab it is difficult to make good wickets but the wickets should be suchto offer advantage to the home team. Curators here have to work harder toproduce better pitches.”But a day-after sort of feel permeated through the fourth day, Lara’s aura still looming large. Of Kaneria’s 177 wickets – now equal tenth in Pakistan’s list of highest wicket-takers with SarfrazNawaz – none have come more expensive than Lara. It is typical of Kaneriathat he enjoys bowling to him, even after Lara, at one stage, had taken 60runs from 29 deliveries he faced from Kaneria. “He is such a great batsmanthat it is an exciting challenge for me to bowl to him. I don’t thinkgetting hit by the world’s number one batsman is a failure on my part.I am actually happy that a player as great as Lara hits me around. I learnfrom that but he has hit everyone from around the world.”Not all of them have been hit for 26 runs in an over, as Kaneria was,though Robin Peterson of South Africa, dispatched for 28 by Lara once,offers company. Talking about the over, Kaneria recognized he had beenbested. “I was just thinking I wanted to block him and stop his scoring.He is a fantastic timer of the ball. He sees the ball from my hand andreads it so well which is the sign of a great player. I wanted to trap himbut he was thinking ahead of me.”Trapping him he tried, as variations were utilized, angles changed andflights lowered, none to much effect. “I changed my action every now andthen, used the crease a bit more. I tried different angles and variationsand you have to give batsmen boundaries to buy their wickets. It justdidn’t work this time.” But, as he was also quick to remind everyonebullishly, ultimately, he did get rid of him. “I also got him out. I knowhe had made a double hundred by then, but he sets himself for making 400usually so it is something.”Solid half-centuries from Imran Farhat, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf,second for the match for each of them, mean that Pakistan are only 21 runsbehind, eight wickets in hand and a whole day left. A draw is thehonourable and realistic option though Kaneria, ever the optimist, thinksotherwise. “We weren’t negative today and we just wanted to playpositively which I think we did with our batting. We are batting well. Ifwe can get quick runs, make a total, we can put them under pressure aslast days are always difficult.”More realistic claims to victory are those made by Daren Ganga, though healso acknowledged that the pitch wasn’t likely to do them any favours.”The pitch is playing really well still. It is really placid and notoffering much help to bowlers. The second new ball tomorrow morning willbe the key period. We are obviously aiming for the win. We’d like to go toKarachi with the series tied and a chance to win the series.”.
