Cricket: Ganguly Takes Failure on the Chin

Northants have made any number of shrewd overseas signings, many from the subcontinent, including Mushtaq Mohammad, Sarfraz Nawaz, Bishen Bedi and Kapil Dev, but Sourav Ganguly is unlikely to be included in that company.

The former captain of India signed a lucrative five-week contract, replacing the Australian Chris Rogers, and his first five first-class innings have produced 0, 2, 6, 2 and, yesterday, 5. He did not bat against Pakistan in Northants' first innings and faced only 18 balls yesterday, the last of which, from Shahid Nazir, struck him on the chin as he pulled out of a hook stroke.

Pakistan must have felt that their lunchtime visit to a local mosque had paid immediate dividends for, after declaring at 250 for nine, 19 runs behind, they soon had Northants in desperate trouble at 43 for five before David Sales and Ben Phillips pulled matters round.

The lunchtime interval was extended to one hour to give the tourists time for Friday prayers, with the 20 minutes added at the end of the day. In truth, though, no one seemed to care much. There are places, such as airport transit lounges and train waiting rooms, where people seem anxious to move on and the old County Ground felt a little like that yesterday. Northants have their trip to Nottingham for Monday's Twenty20 quarter-final at the front of their minds; Pakistan are focusing on next week's Old Trafford Test.

Even Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, shuffled off early - though in his case it was to Edgbaston to check on the fitness of Shoaib Akhtar. The word yesterday was that Shoaib would not play in Manchester but had an outside chance of making the third Test at Headingley.

Pakistan resumed yesterday on 97 for three. Younis Khan had added only eight runs to his overnight 50 when he gave a simple return catch to David Wigley, who finished with figures of five for 77.

Wigley, 24, has had spells at Yorkshire and Worcestershire and joined Northants this summer, but his opportunities have been limited on pitches which have offered more encouragement to the spinners. After the first five-wicket return of his career he said last night: "This was the best I've bowled for Northants. It was specially pleasing because it was on a flat wicket and against top opposition.

"I came here to have more opportunity of first-team cricket. I knew it was a bit of a fast bowlers' graveyard when I came here. But these days you have to be able to be able to bowl people out on flat wickets. I'm just happy to be playing.

"I've been playing well for the seconds and with Monty [Panesar] playing for England and a few injuries about it's given me an opportunity. Younis Khan was my biggest wicket. I was thrilled when he pushed it back at me but I had tied him down with a lot of dot balls."

After Younis Khan the best batting came from Kamran Akmal, who hit seven fours in a belligerent 38 before Ganguly the bowler enjoyed some success.

When Northants batted again they lost early wickets. Stephen Peters, the centurion hero on the first day, made a two-ball duck, lbw to Iftikhar Anjum, and his opening partner Bilal Shafayat survived only two more deliveries before he was caught at third slip. Phillips (39) and Charl Pietersen (20) were the top scorers as the county made 140 in the second innings, setting Pakistan 160 for victory. At the close the tourists were 24 without loss.