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Pakistan were still swooning from Ross Taylor’s blitz when they came out to bat, and the seamers destroyed the top order

The Bulletin by George Binoy08-Mar-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Ross Taylor hurt Pakistan with an explosive hundred after they let him off twice•AFPThe fans who travelled through the hills to watch the first one-day international in Pallekele witnessed a Pakistan team in shambles: they saw a glut of extras, three dropped catches, the worst possible display of end-over bowling and a batting implosion from a shell-shocked team. They also saw a struggling New Zealand side take advantage of their opponent’s extraordinary failings, slowly at first, before Ross Taylor launched an assault so brutal that Pakistan were gutted and rendered defenseless by the end of the innings.Stronger opponents would have made Pakistan regret their shoddy performance – in which Kamran Akmal played the lead and Shoaib Akhtar a supporting role – sooner in the piece, but New Zealand’s batsmen did not until the end. Then, though, they did so without mercy. Martin Guptill was their solitary performer in the first half of the innings, and Taylor needed massive slices luck to get going. But in the last six overs Taylor broke free with unprecedented violence, taking 28 off a Shoaib over before plundering 30 – a new tournament record – off one from Abdul Razzaq. It began to rain sixes and fours and Pakistan’s helplessness was startling as New Zealand plundered 114 off the last six overs to reach 302.Pakistan’s batsmen were still swooning from Taylor’s rope-a-dope when they began their chase and the inevitable collapse came to pass. The contest had ended before the mandatory Powerplay was over and, after the innings had been reduced to 23 for 4 and 66 for 6, Abdul Razzaq merely delayed the inevitable with a half-century. The only worry for New Zealand was the fitness of their captain – Daniel Vettori hobbled painfully off the field after injuring his knee in the sixth over and did not return. Taylor, who took over the captaincy, however, had ensured that Vettori’s bowling wasn’t needed on the day.New Zealand’s formidable total didn’t take shape until very late though. When Pakistan’s spinners dismissed Guptill and James Franklin to reduce the innings from 112 for 2 to 113 for 4, New Zealand were slipping. When Scott Styris, who was dropped by Kamran Akmal, was trapped by an Umar Gul yorker in the first batting-Powerplay over they were only 175 for 5, in sight of a middling total. That changed in a blink.In the 47th over, Shoaib bowled wide deliveries, length deliveries and full tosses that Taylor savaged through cover point and over the deep-midwicket boundary. That exhibition of how not to bowl at the death was outdone by Razzaq, whose medium-pace at poor length was meat and drink for a marauding Taylor. Fielders looked on helplessly, Shahid Afridi tore his hair out metaphorically and Taylor continued to batter a ragged Pakistan. He had added 35 in 3.5 overs with Nathan McCullum, who initiated the acceleration, and then 85 in 3.4 overs with Jacob Oram, who muscled 25 off 9 balls.Before the massacre was The Comedy of Errors. The litany began off the first ball of the innings, when Shoaib overstepped and umpire Nigel Llong didn’t spot it. Llong called Shoaib’s next three foot-faults, though, and the New Zealand batsmen sent all those free-hits to the boundary. Brendon McCullum, however, missed an incutter soon after pulling the first free-hit for six and his dismissal brought in How, playing for the unwell Jesse Ryder.How’s problem was he couldn’t get the ball off the square. Pakistan gave the new ball to a spinner for the first time in 13 years and Abdur Rehman’s left-arm darts were hard to score off. Shoaib, at the other end, was in a generous mood, throwing a ball he fielded on his follow through wide of Kamran Akmal to concede four overthrows. That Pakistan allowed 45 during the mandatory Powerplay was largely due to Shoaib’s largesse. It was also due to Guptill’s ability to focus despite the drama around him. He dragged New Zealand forward with no help from his partner.How’s misery mercifully ended in the 13th over, when Gul’s incutter struck him so plumb that the ball would have hit the middle of middle stump. He’d made 4 off 29 balls.In walked Taylor, on his 27th birthday, and he received two enormous gifts. Before he had scored, Taylor edged the second ball of Shoaib’s second spell. Akmal moved to towards his right, then stopped and looked expectantly at first slip, where Younis Khan was in shock as the ball sped between them to the boundary. Two balls later Taylor edged again, this time the simplest of chances straight to Akmal, and survived. In between those deliveries, Taylor had slashed to the point boundary.Taylor, whose early struggle was substantial by normal standards but incomparable to How’s, slowly grew in confidence. Then Pakistan went to pieces and, though he shoudn’t have been, Taylor was there to hurt them. He finished unbeaten on 131 off 124 balls.The day’s ironic moment came when Kamran Akmal edged to slip and watched Taylor, whom he had dropped twice in single digits, take a low catch without even the faintest fumble.Match Timeline

Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino’s foot injury could keep him out for ‘longer than expected’, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Firmino missing due to foot injury

Jurgen Klopp has been fortunate in that department of late, having almost a full squad to choose from for some crucial Premier League and Champions League games.

With Divock Origi recovered after a brief illness, Firmino – who has been struggling with a foot issue since the middle of April, not appearing at all in that time – is the only Reds player currently absent.

The hope was that the Brazilian would be back available by now but he is still out for the Champions League semi-final second leg clash with Villarreal on Tuesday night.

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The Latest: Expert drops fresh Firmino injury claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery admitted that Firmino may simply be reacting slower than others in his recovery, with his return potentially still a way off. The injury expert outlined:

“Sometimes things can take longer than expected. He might have been expected to respond in a certain way and it hasn’t worked out like that.

“It is a science but not an exact science. Individuals respond to treatment in different ways. If you suffer a setback or reaction, you need to make sure you return pain-free.

“They aren’t just thinking about the next game. They have got the rest of the league campaign and possibly a Champions League final. It is better to take that additional recovery time than rush him back. They are well-stocked in those positions now anyway.”

The Verdict: At least there’s depth now

In the past, losing Firmino at such a massive point in the season would have felt fatal for Liverpool, considering how dependent they were on him, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane staying fit.

Thankfully, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have now provided Jurgen Klopp with some incredible squad depth, meaning the Brazil international isn’t as badly missed, especially as he has arguably drifted past his absolute peak.

Nonetheless, the hope is that Firmino is back as soon as possible, allowing for squad rotation to come into play during Liverpool’s quest for an unprecedented quadruple.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has dropped an exciting Liverpool transfer claim. Read more here.

It might be premature to describe Yorkshire’s Championship challenge as faltering but their position at the top of the table going into this match disguises a run of results that rather undermines their case

Jon Culley at Headingley03-Aug-2010
ScorecardRyan Sidebottom impressed as Nottinghamshire took control on the top-of-the-table clash•PA PhotosIt might be premature to describe Yorkshire’s Championship challenge as faltering but their position at the top of the table going into this match disguises a run of results that rather undermines their case. A record of one win in six matches since May leaves them in need of renewed impetus.They may struggle to draw it from this contest after their poorest day so far, one which began with Adam Lyth out for a duck and ended with Samit Patel and David Hussey shaping up to put Nottinghamshire in control. Yorkshire’s lead at the start of this round is one point. Given Nottinghamshire’s game in hand, if this is not a must-win fixture, it is certainly one they would prefer not to lose.The morning belonged squarely to Nottinghamshire as Yorkshire stumbled to lunch at 89 for 5, prompting inevitable questions about Andrew Gale’s wisdom in deciding to bat first in overcast, humid conditions, particularly after swing had been such a factor in the Test match between Australia and Pakistan here.But the pitches here have generally played well this season. In each of four previous Championship matches in 2010, the captain winning the toss has opted to bat and the average first-innings score was 431, with Yorkshire winning both matches in which they batted first. To Gale, therefore, it was probably a straightforward decision. Ryan Sidebottom confirmed afterwards that Nottinghamshire would have batted, too, given the choice.Indeed, this pitch – blanched and dry – looks like one that will take spin and there is no one in better form to exploit that factor than leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who came into this match with 28 wickets in his last four four-day games. Gale has also turned to David Wainwright, the left-arm spinner, for his first Championship appearance since May.With a decent Yorkshire total to give them room to manoeuvre, Gale will have reasoned, those two bowlers in tandem could pose real problems for Nottinghamshire. All out for 178 – their lowest total for two years – was certainly not part of any plan.The ball ruled from the moment Lyth, the First Division’s leading run-scorer, edged the fifth ball of the day from Sidebottom into the gloves of skipper Chris Read behind the stumps. Under the watchful gaze of Geoff Miller, England’s chief selector, it was not a good moment for the Yorkshire left-hander to cop his third duck of the season.Sidebottom is back in the Nottinghamshire line-up after a knee injury sustained – in the modern cricket tradition – playing football, replacing Charlie Shreck from the side beaten heavily by in-form Somerset at Taunton last week. It was a second defeat in three matches for Read’s team, whose thrashing of relegation favourites Warwickshire in between came on the back of career-best figures of 8 for 52 by Stuart Broad, who will not figure again this season.Yet Nottinghamshire’s bowling resources are as deep as anyone’s, even if their batting can be suspect, and the attack on duty here subjected Yorkshire to their poorest opening day of the season.It didn’t help, though, that their second wicket was needlessly squandered when a misunderstanding between Anthony McGrath and Jacques Rudolph led the latter to be run out for one in the sixth over, Ali Brown doing the fielding after McGrath shaped to take a single to cover off Darren Pattinson but thought better of it with his colleague halfway down the pitch.Gale looked in good shape, helping himself to a couple of nicely-timed boundaries off Pattinson and a couple more off Sidebottom but when Paul Franks came on first change for Pattinson he struck with his second ball, one that umpire Rob Bailey judged would have hit the stumps as the Yorkshire captain went forward and across.Again Yorkshire looked capable of repairing the damage. Andre Adams conceded three boundaries in four balls to McGrath after replacing Sidebottom at the football stand end and was hit for two more by Jonathan Bairstow. But then McGrath nibbled at one from Adams to be caught behind and when Gerard Brophy was bowled by the same bowler, with a fine delivery that came back sharply, Yorkshire were in serious trouble at 89 for 5.That became 104 for 6 when Rashid was out leg before, beyond much argument, in the fourth over of the afternoon. Bairstow, who is becoming a dangerous opponent in the middle order, again went for his shots with confidence, hitting nine fours to reach 45, including three in consecutive balls off Pattinson. But he was undone by a beautiful ball from Sidebottom that bowled him after swinging late – “the kind you bowl once a season,” Sidebottom said – after which Ajmal Shahzad paid the price for stretching for one outside off stump from Pattinson and Yorkshire were 144 for 8.Wainwright proved his value with the bat by adding 20 runs to that, although with his fellow left-arm spinner, Patel, trapping both Steve Patterson and Oliver Hannon-Dalby leg before, the Yorkshire total grew by only 34.As if to even the score after Rudolph’s give-away, Nottinghamshire handed Yorkshire an early gift when Alex Hales, chasing a ball that might have been called wide, edged Steve Patterson obligingly to keeper BrophyMark Wagh was bowled by a peach from Hannon-Dalby, a late inswinger to which the batsman played back, but Matthew Wood gave his side something to build on with his second fifty in consecutive games before Patterson had him leg before.Wood, who has form in one-day cricket, has been given another chance in the four-day side as Nottinghamshire continue to seek elusive consistency in their batting. The openers are not the only problem area, however. Patel’s hundred in defeat against Somerset was his first in the Championship since September 2008 but he and Hussey had put on 50 together at stumps, with Nottinghamshire 31 behind and seven wickets in hand.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Paul Brown has delivered some worrying transfer news involving Everton. 

The lowdown: Big name exit coming?

As the Toffees suffer a disappointing 2021/22 campaign attempting to stave off the threat of relegation, there could be more issues coming when the summer transfer window opens.

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Newly appointed manager Frank Lampard may face a battle to keep hold of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin as both forwards are linked with a move away from Goodison Park.

With the end of the season now in sight, it appears that the reality of losing a star name could also be coming into view…

The latest: Brown issues exit warning

Speaking to GMS, the journalist claims it’s ‘inevitable’ that one of Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison leaves Merseyside due to their financial situation.

Brown explained: “It’s inevitable that one of them goes because the financial position the club finds itself in is so dire that they know they have to sell someone to generate some revenue.”

Despite the financial constraints, Everton were able to add Vitaliy Mykolenko, Nathan Patterson and Dele Alli in the January transfer window following the departure of Lucas Digne to Aston Villa for £25million (Sky Sports).

The verdict: Worrying times ahead

Should Premier League football be secured for next term Lampard is going to want to strengthen the squad with the likes of Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin in situ.

Albeit both players have struggled with injuries this term, the pair have still managed a combined 10 goals across all competitions and would undoubtedly be key members of any necessary rebuild on the Blue half of Merseyside.

However, should a sale indeed be the only possible outcome, then the club’s hierarchy must do everything in its power to ensure that they receive the best fee for either of its two most prized assets in order to find suitable replacements.

In other news, Premier League giants eye Everton youngster. Find out more here!

A half-century from Travis Birt and some crisp hitting from Owais Shah helped Hobart Hurricanes to a comfortable two-wicket win over Brisbane Heat at the Gabba

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Dec-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA rapid half-century from Travis Birt helped Hobart Hurricanes comfortably chase down their target•Getty ImagesA half-century from Travis Birt and some crisp hitting from Owais Shah helped Hobart Hurricanes to a comfortable two-wicket win over Brisbane Heat at the Gabba. Birt and Shah combined for a 95-run partnership in less than nine overs, as the hosts’ total of 6 for 172 was overhauled with an over to spare.Tim Paine upped the tempo early on for the Hurricanes after Shane Watson’s first over cost just one run. Wicketkeeper Paine cracked Watson for six in his next over and had helped put on a 50-run opening stand when he fell to James Hopes for 29 off 19 balls. Nathan Hauritz and Ben Cutting helped slow the run rate, the latter removing Jonathan Wells with the score on 80, but the third-wicket partnership was to prove decisive.Shah hit Cutting for two sixes in the 13th over and Birt scored 21 off the next, which also included a wide from Hopes, to make the Hurricanes task a straightforward one.Having won the toss, Brisbane were hampered in their attempts to set a more imposing total by the loss of regular wickets. Michael Hogan struck twice to remove the openers with 39 on the board before a 49-run partnership between Joe Burns and Dan Christian. Debutant Evan Gulbis removed Burns on the way to fine figures of 3 for 29 and Thisara Perara’s late innings of 22 from eight balls was not enough to give Heat a winning platform.

Dean Henderson, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford were all disappointing in Manchester United’s shock FA Cup fourth round defeat at home to Middlesbrough.

The Red Devils were expected to breeze past their Championship opponents on Friday evening, but another damaging outing unfolded at Old Trafford.

Jadon Sancho’s goal looked set to send United on their way to victory but a controversial Matt Crooks equaliser took the game to extra-time and the visitors prevailed in a long penalty shootout.

There were three United players who stood out as the worst performers, of those to have played at least 45 minutes of action, and using statistical experts Sofascore we have looked at the men who may be fearing for their place under Ralf Rangnick.

Dean Henderson – 6.8/10

Henderson started between the sticks instead of David De Gea but he did his chances of keeping the Spaniard out permanently very few favours.

While the England international had little to do in the 120 minutes of normal time, five of his 12 long balls were still inaccurate and he played no key passes.

In the shootout, Henderson failed to get close to the penalties, barring one that squirmed under him in sloppy fashion.

Luke Shaw – 7.4/10

Shaw has dipped well below last season’s high standards in 2021/22 and this was another disappointing night at the office for him.

The left-back lost possession a whopping 34 times in total, also losing six out of 14 of his ground duels.

Not only that, but Shaw also only managed to complete four out of nine crosses and long balls apiece, highlighting a sloppy outing from him.

Marcus Rashford – 6.3/10

It was Rashford who took home the lowest rating at Old Trafford, however, as his hugely below-par form continues.

The Englishman lost the ball on 11 occasions overall, missed one big chance and won only two out of eight ground duels, meaning he and Shaw combined to lose 55% of their individual battles on the ball.

Rashford also won no aerial duels and failed to make any defensive contribution, highlighting his lack of effective pressing from the front.

In other news, a journalist has ruled out one player joining United. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United are still ‘pressing’ to seal the signing of Torino right-back Ola Aina in the January transfer window, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Aina linked with Leeds move

It has been a quiet start to the month at Elland Road but it would be a surprise if no new faces arrived in the coming weeks, given the horrendous injury crisis Marcelo Bielsa is currently contending with.

One player who has been linked with a move to Leeds is Aina, who has made 13 Serie A appearances for Torino this season, continuing to impress after graduating from Chelsea’s youth academy.

Despite this, the Italian club don’t appear to be against the idea of letting the 25-year-old leave this month, no doubt giving the Whites hope that a deal can be struck.

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The Latest: Whites still ‘pressing’

According to Corriere Granata [via Sport Witness], Leeds are still hoping to get a deal sorted imminently and the two clubs will ‘continue to negotiate’.

It is stated that there is ‘no agreement’ in place yet for the former Chelsea man, though.

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The Verdict: Good news

Given the number of stories emerging, it does look as though Leeds see Aina as a genuine option and he could be a shrewd signing for Bielsa.

At 25, he is five years younger than Luke Ayling and could represent a long-term replacement for him, having made an impressive six tackles and four clearances for Nigeria in their Africa Cup of Nations opener against Egypt earlier this week, earning him Whoscored’s Man of the Match award.

On the contrary, Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah was completely shut down by Aina and his Super Eagles teammates, as he mustered the second-lowest rating of the 22 starters while the Serie A man thrived.

Aina’s current Torino deal expires in the summer of 2o23, highlighting the fact that they are running out of time to receive a fee for him, which arguably makes a move even more likely.

In other news, a journalist has claimed that Leeds won’t be signing one player. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United ambassador Noel Whelan has bemoaned the hamstring injuries picked up by Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips, describing it as ‘really bad news’ for the club.

The Lowdown: Leeds pair out injured

The Whites have been plagued by injuries throughout the season, which has no doubt played a part in what has been a disappointing campaign to date.

Cooper and Phillips are two of the most high-profile current absentees and, as revealed by Marcelo Bielsa on Friday, the duo are not expected to be back in action until March, which comes as a huge blow to Leeds.

While relegation should still be avoided, not having those two key figures available could make life difficult, and results must start improving in the coming weeks if they are to avoid an uncomfortable run-in to the campaign.

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The Latest: Whelan reacts to news

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan couldn’t hide his frustration at the news that Cooper and Phillips face another couple of months on the sidelines. He rued:

“The injuries looked so innocuous. Usually with a hamstring if you’re not jumping in the air and hitting the clouds, it could just be a tiny tear which could take as little as four weeks.

“But this is really bad news for Leeds United because they are two big players. Phillips, who is one of the best defensive midfield players in the Premier League and is vitally important to how we play. He’s irreplaceable in there.

“And then Cooper is the club captain, and that presence will be missed sorely in the dressing room. You can’t take away the importance of what he gives you in there. It’s like Jordan Henderson at Liverpool – you miss those types of voices.”

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The Verdict: Big battle without them

This is a massive couple of months for Leeds, with fringe players simply having to step up to the plate without Cooper and Phillips around. The former has been the Whites’ second-best performer this term as per WhoScored, while the latter boasts one of the highest tackling averages (2.3 per game) within the squad.

Phillips is going to be a particular miss, considering the sparsity of midfield alternatives and the fact that he is England’s reigning Player of the Year, highlighting how talented player he has become.

A new midfielder may well be needed to be brought in this month to help fill the void, whereas fit-again Diego Llorente and Robin Koch will hopefully forge a strong centre-back pairing without club captain Cooper around. For now, it’s easy to see why Whelan is so worried.

In other news, one Leeds player is set to leave the club this summer. Find out who it is here.

Virat Kohli dominated the Bengal bowlers but his dismissal for 173 gave Bengal the upper hand in a day of contrasts, with Delhi still trailing by 145 runs

The Bulletin by Sharda Ugra at the Feroz Shah Kotla03-Nov-2010
Scorecard
Virat Kohli’s dismissal was the turning point of the day•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe teams in the Durand Cup football semi-finals at the neighbouring Ambedkar Stadium would know exactly what Delhi and Bengal went through at the Ferozshah Kotla on Wednesday. Day three of their Ranji Trophy Super League match was a game of two halves. The first belonged to Virat Kohli and Delhi, the second to Bengal, who felt an immovable object suddenly shift an inch, and then didn’t stop pushing.At stumps, Delhi were 328 for 6, still trailing Bengal’s first innings total of 473 – and precious points – by 145 runs. They have two old school types at the wicket, Rajat Bhatia, who has played first-class cricket with the focus and enthusiasm of an Energiser bunny, and Sumit Narwal, the bowler who saved them much face yesterday. What Bengal have now is the belief that they can turn Delhi’s innate swagger into a fall.Kohli certainly swaggered in making 173, scoring more than half of Delhi’s runs in an innings stamped with the authority and superiority of a player who belongs to another, higher, class of cricket. His departure led to a middle order meltdown, four wickets falling for 34 runs, not only because he was the entertainment of the day, but also the centre piece of two top order century stands. For nearly four hours, Bengal laboured and absorbed the punches because they knew that Kohli’s wicket would turn the match into a far more even contest than he had allowed it to be.It took them a while, but they could have had him much sooner. Iresh Saxena grassed a simple chance at mid-wicket, to Ranadeb Bose’s utter misery, when Kohli was on 74. Given a reprieve, Kohli showed even more disdain. He mopped up the remaining 26 runs he needed for his hundred from 35 balls, leaping across the threshold with the help of three boundaries between 87 and 101. Bengal had tried to keep things tight and the runs down to a minimum. Given that their side had unravelled Bengal in the first session on Tuesday, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli were happy to score at a reasonable trickle, and keep coach Manoj Prabhakar relaxed. Dhawan’s departure for 42 didn’t have much of an impact just before lunch, as the comfort of captain Mithun Manhas’ company ensured that Kohli was ready to move in to a higher gear.The moment arrived well into the afternoon, with the sudden surprise of a run-out. Always, an event of extremes, run-outs can either be street-corner slapstick or a thunderous demonstration of speed or athleticism. In this case, it needed a combination of anticipation and good fortune, and Bengal both deserved the luck, and rode it well. The run-rate had moved to just over four an over, and Manhas guided one past a wide second slip and gully. Kohli shot out for the single. It was a fair call, Kohli expecting the gully fielder to cut off the angle at best. Arindam Das, the fielder at second slip, suddenly streaked into the frame, snatched the ball as it bobbed up into his hand, and hurled it towards the stumps. Kohli had his head down and was sprinting for the finish, but before he crossed the line, the bails leapt in to the air.It was, as Bengal’s bowler of the day Ashok Dinda said, the moment his team had worked for, the one idea they had hung all their hats on: “We said if Virat goes, the rest would struggle. Even after the dropped the catch we said, ‘we just have to get Virat’ and we are in the game.” And so they were. Bose swung one into Gaurav Chabra’s toes just before tea, and convinced the umpire that it was good enough for a leg before. After the break, Manhas attempted a Kohli-esque slash at one so wide from Dinda that it asked for punishment, but received a wicket. Punit Bisht tried to extravagantly turn Dinda over square and Abhishek Chowdhary at short leg pulled off a reflex catch.Bhatia watched stone-faced at the other end and knew what had to be done because he’s done it dozens of time. Along with the sturdy Narwal, the Delhi innings limped along during the last hour of the day’s play. Bengal delayed taking the new ball in the hope that the old one, which was keeping low, would help them snake in another lbw, but all the twists were done for the day. They will now have a fairly new ball tomorrow and no prima donna of Kohli’s capabilities involved in the contest anymore. The last day’s play and the tussle for points promises to be a blinking contest between Bengal and the overnight batsmen. The day of two halves will melt into a session that will seal the deal.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has said he will retire from Test cricket following the second Test against Australia at Headingley starting next Wednesday

Cricinfo staff16-Jul-2010Shahid Afridi made the decision that seemed inevitable from the day he took over as Test captain, by announcing his Test retirement immediately after leading his side to a 150-run loss against Australia at Lord’s.Afridi has been a reluctant Test player over the years and this Test was his first in four years. A poor personal performance, capped by a four-ball 2 on the last day – out slogging to deep midwicket – didn’t help matters and the second Test against Australia at Headingley, starting on Wednesday, will now be his last. Afridi’s participation at Headingley, however, will depend on whether he passes a fitness test for a side strain in the days leading up to the match.Salman Butt, the vice-captain, is likely to take over the leadership for the England series though that is not set in stone until the PCB makes a final decision. Whoever does take over will be Pakistan’s fifth Test captain since the start of 2009.”With my temperament I can’t play Test cricket,” Afridi said. “It is better a youngster comes in my place, probably a genuine batsman or even a genuine bowler. I picked up a side injury during the Asia Cup and unless you are 100 percent fit you can’t perform in Test cricket.”I wasn’t interested in playing Test cricket but the board asked me to go and take a look as they didn’t have a choice. So I took up the responsibility. They asked me to take a chance and may be I would enjoy it. But I wasn’t really enjoying Test cricket but I tried. I wasn’t good enough. A captain should lead by example which I did not. And if I played the way I played in this match it is better to leave.”If Afridi’s side injury rules him out of the second Test at Headingley his final shot in the five-day game will be the slog-sweep that picked out Mike Hussey and Afridi was honest enough to admit he just couldn’t hold back. “You are right,” he said. “I am coming back to Test cricket after four years and in the interim I’d played a lot of ODI and Twenty20 cricket so I came in with the same [attacking] temperament. I was in two minds. You can say I was not strong mentally.”Yawar Saeed, Pakistan’s manager, confirmed Afridi’s decision to Cricinfo, though he insisted he wouldn’t call it a retirement. “Afridi had a side strain and felt that he shouldn’t keep a specialist out of the side. Temperamentally he feels not comfortable with the format so Leeds will be his last Test,” he said.Saeed said that Butt is likely to take over, but that any decision would have to be made in consultation with the board. Ijaz Butt, chairman PCB, is in England currently. “Salman Butt was appointed vice-captain for the tour and he will take over unless the PCB meets and decides otherwise. But as per procedure, he will take over,” Saeed said.”Salman is the vice captain and he should ideally be the man,” Afridi added. “The way he has shown the maturity he is good enough to carry forward the responsibility.”The development will bring into sharp focus the PCB’s decision to appoint Afridi as Test captain in the first place. He had already retired from the format once before, in 2006, only to return, ironically, for the tour to England that summer. He played a couple of Tests before pulling himself out of the format again.Since his appointment recently, his hesitancy towards the format has surfaced repeatedly. In an interview to before the series began, Afridi hinted he might not play Tests for long. “I’m confident I am fine fitness-wise,” he said then. “But I came back to Tests because I am doing it for the team only. If I think I am fit to do it, I will continue playing Tests. Otherwise I will not burden the side.”In a more recent interview to Cricinfo, Afridi said, “If down the line I become aware that I am not a good captain, or not a successful one, and the team is unable to make any use of me as a captain, I will not chase it. If I don’t have the ability then I will leave it on my own … I did not ask anyone forcibly to give me the captaincy, nor will I forcibly captain the team. If I am good I will prove it through my performance. If I am not good I will say khuda hafeez [God be with you].”