Salahuddin Ahmed (Sallu) Photo © CricInfo

The portable wicket at the Jade Stadium, Christchurch ensured that the 2nd Test was dead as a dodo by the end of day three. It was a wicket so lopsidedly in favour of the batsmen that they really had to contrive their own demise; the bowlers on their own couldn't do much there.

In the circumstances, Moin Khan's decision to put the Black Caps in to bat after winning the toss ensured that the much-depleted Kiwis were allowed to escape the psychological burden that they were carrying after their mindboggling collapse at Auckland. They ensured that they did post a big total, 476 to be precise, with Mathew Sinclair's magnificent double hundred holding their innings together.

That huge total in the first outing ensured that, barring an extraordinary batting and bowling display by a rather green Pakistan side, the Kiwis would not lose the Test. The visitors did well on their turn by putting 571 on the board, with Yousuf Youhana (203) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (130) helping themselves to big hundreds, the latter benefitting from a costly lapse in the field when he was dropped at 10, and Faisal Iqbal making his second score of fifty plus in his third innings.

It, however, was Saqlain's maiden unbeaten hundred which most succinctly exposed two things. Firstly, the state of the wicket and secondly the ability of the Kiwi attack. Till he reached the `90s, Saqlain had pretty much played to his own plan, on his own sweet will. He defended when he felt like it and unleashed some really contemptuous strokes when he thought he had done enough of defending.

Though he took an excruciatingly long time in his crawl from 90 to 101, in the process killing whatever little interest was left in the proceedings, Saqlain's stand of 248 for the sixth wicket with Youhana actually took the game away from the Kiwis after there was a little hiccup in which Pakistan lost three wickets - those of Inzamam, Younis and Moin - for 45 runs to be six for 304.

While Pakistan in this series has suffered because of injuries to key players, to me, the problem of openers is really surprising and reveals that the selection committee has perhaps not done a good job. For one it sent five openers on the tour. They were Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat and Saleem Elahi. Then when they came to know that Anwar would not be available to the team, they still stuck to their plan calling back Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir. They failed to take the fact into account that both Afridi and Nazir have Test centuries behind them, and were good all-round cricketers to boot, with the former quite handy as a fastish leg-spin bowler and fielder and the latter as good as they come at backward point, perhaps with the exception of Jonty Rhodes at his very best. The fact that these two were better fielders in a side whose stronger suit is not fielding, should have ensured that at least one of these two were asked to stay back.

And surprise of all surprises, while Afridi and Nazir were called back, the selectors in their wisdom sent over all the way from home Ijaz Ahmed, a rusty, discarded veteran who made a makeshift opener at Christchurch. Astonishing stuff, for it shows that the drought is not in resources but in approach!

I also take exception to Younis Khan's place in the batting order. He should have been asked to bat at one-down straightaway at Auckland, when debutant Misbah-ul-Haq was given that slot. Perhaps he was not because he was coming after a lay-off, and it was thought better not to restore him in his place at the top of the order. But after he was successful beyond expectations at Auckland, being the highest run-getter there in both innings, there was no reason not to return his place to him. Instead, we found another youngster, Faisal Iqbal, manning that position. Younis played a bad shot, and paid for it by getting out for a duck. And since Faisal has made some runs, I believe Younis would remain stuck lower down the order for a while.

A word about the youngsters. I don't want to sound discouraging, but we should not read too much in their performance. They have been blooded against an opposition which is currently below par in terms of international standards, and the wickets have been to their liking. As far as the wickets are concerned, they would remain of the same variety at Sharjah. So it is a good opportunity for the youngsters to make the most of it. But they should really be thinking and preparing for England, where the conditions would not be the same and the early summer, when Pakistan play their two Tests, poses more difficulties than the latter part.

Beating England in its own backyard would not be easy this time round. Their morale is high as despite their limitations they are performing well as a team. They have two back-to-back series wins in the sub-continent, first Pakistan and now Sri Lanka. And that takes some doing - ask the Aussies.

So if the Pakistanis intend to return triumphant from England a fourth successive time, they had better start preparing for it now.

Ed: Salahuddin Ahmed (Sallu) is a former Test cricketer, and has served as a PCB selector nine times; his last stint (1999-2000) was as chief selector.

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