Shahid Afridi smashed a blistering half-century to keep alive Pakistan’s hopes of posting a big total in the second Test against England here today. The aggressive middle-order batsman (67 not out) reached his half-century off just 46 balls with three sixes and four boundaries as Pakistan scored 300-4 in their first innings at stumps on the opening day.He has so far struck four sixes and five fours in his 62-ball knock for his seventh Test half-century. Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq also played a big role in propping up the innings after England had threatened twice to restrict his team after he had elected to bat on a flat track.Inzamam, who scored an unbeaten 80 for his third successive half-century, put on 128 for the fourth wicket with Mohammad Yousuf (78) and 99 for the unfinished fifth with Afridi. Pakistan were struggling at 73-3 before Inzamam and Yousuf came to their team’s rescue with their responsible knocks.England then found an unlikely wicket-taker in Ian Bell, who broke the fourth-wicket stand when he held a low return catch on his follow-through to account for Yousuf for his maiden Test victim in 10 matches. Yousuf hit two sixes off left-arm spinner Ashley Giles and eight fours in his 23rd half-century in 61 Test matches.Brief scoresPakistan: 300/4 (Malik 27, Butt 26,Yousuf 78, Inzamam batting 80; Afridi batting 67; Hoggard 1/69, Flintoff 1/53, Harmison 1/37, Be1/31 vs England.
