22 August 2004	Sunday	05 Rajab 1425

NAIROBI, Aug 21: Misbahul Haq and Faisal Iqbal shared a match-winning partnership to send Pakistan 'A' into the final of the Nairobi triangular one-day series on Friday.

The pair tied up their innings to ensure a seven-wicket win over Kenya after being set a victory target of 261 in the penultimate match of the series at the Nairobi Simba Union club.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat, Kenyan captain Steve Tikolo had provided the inspiration for his side with his first century in the tournament. His 121 came off 125 balls, including nine boundaries.

Kenya were reduced to 59-4 early in the match when Tikolo came to the crease.

With a good support from Hitesh Modi (55), Tikolo managed to push the score from 59 to 189 before Modi was run out. Tikolo was also susbsequently run out with just one ball to the end of the match.

Pakistan started well against a weakened bowling opposition which missed the services of the injured medium-pacer Thomas Odoyo and the suspended off-spinner Maurice Odumbe.

Openers Kamran Akmal and Naveed Qureshi scored 36 and 41, before Bazid contributed 74. Misbah and Faisal, with 65 and 32 respectively, saw Pakistan home in their 73-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Scoreboard

KENYA:

K.O. Obuya c Kamran b Rao Iftikhar 8

R.D. Shah c Qaiser b Rao Iftikhar 27

S.O. Tikolo run out 121

M.L. Patel lbw b Mansoor 3

H.S. Modi run out 55

M.A. Suji c Naveed b Naved 10

R.G. Aga b Riaz 13

B.J. Patel b Riaz 11

P.J. Ongondo not out 3

A.O. Suji not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-5, NB-2) 9

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 260

FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-44, 3-59, 4-189, 5-207, 6-216, 7-247, 8-260.

BOWLING: Rao Iftikhar 7-1-19-2; Riaz Afridi 8-0-46-2; Mansoor Amjad 10-0-60-1; Junaid Zia 7-0-30-0; Qaiser Abbas 9-0-51-0; Naved Latif 9-0-52-1.

PAKISTAN 'A':

Kamran Akmal c M.A. Suji b Ongondo 36

Naveed Qureshi lbw b Tikolo 41

Bazid Khan lbw b Ongondo 74

Misbahul Haq not out 65

Faisal Iqbal not out 32

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-6, NB-6) 14

TOTAL (for three wkts, 41.4 overs) 262

FALL OF WKTS: 1-47, 2-96, 3-189.

DID NOT BAT: Naved Latif, Qaiser Abbas, Riaz Afridi, Junaid Zia, Mansoor Amjad, Rao Iftikhar.

BOWLING: M.A. Suji 9-0-52-0; Onyango 4.4-0-49-0; Ongondo 8-0-47-2; Tikolo 6-0-27-1; Aga 6-0-37-0; Modi 4-0-18-0; Patel 2-0-11-0; T. Suji 3-0-19-0.

RESULT: Pakistan 'A' won by 7 wickets.-Agencies