KARACHI, April 7: A superb century by Bazid Khan turned out to be the highlight of what was a tedious draw in the opening four-day unofficial Test between Sri Lanka ‘A’ and Pakistan ‘A’ at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy on Thursday.
Bazid, the 24-year-old son of Pakistan great Majid Khan, made a flawless 128 to help Pakistan ‘A’ reach 297 for eight in reply to the hosts’ first innings total of 237.
The match, which was badly disrupted by bad weather in the Sri Lankan hill town, was called off at the tea break after rival skippers, Jehan Mubarak and Misbahul Haq, mutually agreed that there was nothing left to play for.
Bazid, who resumed at 45 in the morning in his team’s overnight score of 105 for four, dominated a fifth-wicket partnership of 124 with Faisal Iqbal, nephew of the legendary Javed Miandad. The pair batted throughout the first session while adding 113 runs.
They were eventually separated when Faisal failed to respond to his partner’s call and was run out for a well-compiled 46. During his 112-ball innings Faisal stroked four boundaries.
Ian Daniel, who took the wickets of Wajahatullah Wasti and Hasan Raza on Wednesday with his part-time medium-pacers, grabbed his third scalp when he clean bowled Yasir Arafat for a six-ball duck with Pakistan still eight short of Sri Lanka total.
Bazid was finally out when he was caught by Gayan Ramyakumara to provide leg-spinner Malinga Bandara with his second wicket of the innings. The right-handed opening batsman adorned his 238-ball knock with 15 fours and one six.
Zulqarnain Haider, who is a handy batsman, made his presence felt with 37 off 57 balls, including four hits to the fence, before discarded Test fast bowler Dilhara Fernando had the Pakistani wicket-keeper caught in the deep by Ramyakumara.
The eighth-wicket stand between Zulqarnain and tailender Mohammad Asif was worth an invaluable 43 runs. When the match finished, Asif had made 11 and Imran Tahir five.
Daniel was easily the pick of the home bowlers with figures of three for 35 in 17 overs. Bandara took two for 66 in 24 overs.
The second and final ‘Test’ gets under way from Sunday at Dambulla.
Scoreboard
SRI LANKA ‘A’ (1st Innings) 237 (H.A.P.W. Jayawardene 66 not out; Yasir Arafat 5-76).
PAKISTAN ‘A’ (1st Innings, overnight 105-4):
Misbahul Haq lbw b R’kumara 17 Bazid Khan c R’kumara b Bandara 128 Wajahatullah Wasti c J’wardene b Daniel 16 Aamir Bashir c Mubarak b Bandara 3 Hasan Raza lbw b Daniel 10 Faisal Iqbal run out 46 Yasir Arafat b Daniel 0 Zulqarnain c R’kumara b Fernando 37 Mohammad Asif not out 11 Imran Tahir not out 5
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-4, NB-19) 24
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 95 overs) 297 FALL OF WKTS: 1-23, 2-84, 3-88, 4-105, 5-229, 6-229, 7-249, 8-292. DID NOT BAT: Najaf Shah.
BOWLING: Ranjith 11-0-47-0 (3nb); Ramyakumara 20-4-61-1 (1nb); Fernando 18-4-62-1 (15nb); Daniel 17-2-35-3; Bandara 24-4-66-2; Arnold 6-0-21-0.
UMPIRES: P.T. Manuel and T.H. Wijewardene. MATCH REFEREE: U.C. Hathurusingha.
