Having seen off the best that Pakistan had to offer, the compact diminutive batsman tried to sweep a Mohammad Hafeez delivery with five minutes left before the tea interval. But the debutant opener only succeeded in being adjudged leg before to the part-time off-spinner.

Was it worth playing such a needless shot at that point?

MIANDAD MADE MCC LIFE MEMBERPakistan's highest Test run-scorer Javed Miandad Friday expressed elation at being given life membership of cricket's most famous and oldest club, England's Marylebone Cricket Club.

"I received a letter from MCC secretary Roger Knight telling me that the honour has been conferred on me," said Miandad, coach of the Pakistani team.

"It is a great honour for me and for my country and I have sent an acknowledgement to confirm that I am elated at accepting the honour."

Miandad is the seventh Pakistani to have been honoured by the famous English club after Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Khan Mohammad, Wasim Raja, Nasimul Ghani and Iqbal Qasim.

The Pakistan was offered the membership on Wednesday and accepted it on Friday.

The MCC, founded in 1787, awards life membership to cricketers on merit and international repute and its cricket laws are followed throughout the cricket world. The club also owns England's famous cricket ground Lord's.

With around 22,000 members, the MCC has given life memberships to 39 cricketers.

Miandad played 124 Tests for Pakistan and his aggregate of 8,832 runs is still the highest for his country. He also played 233 one-day matches, accumulating 7,381 runs.

Miandad also played for Sussex and Glamorgan in the English county season in 1980s and 90s.

Incidentally, Bangladesh have only one MCC member in Raisuddin Ahmed, the former BCCB vice-president.

SOLID SALEH Rajin Saleh seems to have cemented his place as an all-round cricketer. A live-wire in the field, Saleh caught and bowled Yousuf Youhana, took the catches to get rid of Inzamamul Haq and Shabbir Ahmed and also ran out Umar Gul.

Not bad considering he's only 19 and playing in just his first Test for his country.

Besides, he has already shown his qualities with the bat too. The right-hander who scored a 26 in the first innings, is 27 not out in a superb fourth-wicket partnership with Habibul Bashar that has yielded 80 runs so far.