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| September 26, 2005 | Monday | Sha'aban 21, 1426 |
Malik’s century squares ‘A’ one-day series
LAHORE, Sept 25: A splendid unbeaten century by Test all-rounder Shoaib Malik propelled Pakistan ‘A’ to an impressive eight-wicket win over Australia ‘A’ in the second one-day match at the Qadhafi Stadium on Sunday. Shoaib struck 103 off mere 86 balls as Pakistan ‘A’ raced to 208 for two with 14.1 overs to spare. With the series levelled at 1-1, Tuesday’s third and final game will decide who wins the rubber.
After Ashar Zaidi, who was included in place of Salman Butt, had been dismissed for 12, Shoaib joined opener Imran Farhat in a second-wicket partnership of 64 before the latter was caught by Shane Watson off off-spinner Daniel Cullen for 27.
Bazid Khan came to the crease at the fall of Imran’s wicket. With Shoaib going great guns, Bazid helped the all-rounder turn the tide in Pakistan ‘A’s favour in an unfinished 126-run stand for the third wicket.
Shoaib, who was nine short of the three-figure mark and his team also requiring nine runs for victory, settled the issue beyond doubt in a spectacular fashion by lifting Cullen for two huge sixes.
In all, Shoaib’s innings contained 12 fours and four sixes. Bazid remained unbeaten with a 78-ball 51 that included eight boundaries.
Earlier, Cameron White dominated the Australian innings with undefeated century after Hasan Raza, leading Pakistan ‘A’ in place of indisposed Misbahul Haq, elected to bowl first after having won the toss.
Hasan’s decision paid immediate dividends as the tourists were reduced to 26 for four at the start of the eighth over. After Yasir Arafat ran out Phil Jaques for four, Test fast bowler Mohammad Sami had James Hopes caught by Imran Farhat for a similar score before Umar Gul removed Marcos North and James Thornely — both caught by wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider — after the pair made six apiece.
White, the vice-captain, was then joined by his skipper Michael Hussey in a face-saving fifth-wicket stand worth 63 before Hussey was bowled by Umar for 31.
The tourists lost three further wickets until White, who finished on 106 off 135 deliveries, found a reliable partner in Cullen (12) as the pair carried the score from 146 for eight to 195 for nine before Cullen was run out in a terrible mix-up.
Umar ended up with four for 51 while fellow paceman Mohammad Asif, who replaced Rao Iftikhar, claimed two for 35.
Scoreboard
AUSTRALIA ‘A’:
P.A. Jaques run out 4
J.R. Hopes c Zulqarnain b Umar 4
M.J. North c Zulqarnain b Umar 6
D.J. Thornely c Zulqarnain b Umar 6
C.L. White not out 106
M.E.K. Hussey b Umar 31
S.R. Watson c Imran b Asif 9
C.D. Hartley b Asif 0
M.L. Lewis c Zulqarnain b Umar 10
D.J. Cullen run out 12
N.W. Bracken c Mansoor b Shoaib 2
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-4, NB-6) 14
TOTAL (all out, 49.5 overs) 204
FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-15, 3-15, 4-26, 5-89, 6-110, 7-114, 8-146, 9-195.
BOWLING: Mohammad Sami 10-0-31-1; Umar Gul 10-0-51-4; Yasir Arafat 10-0-45-0; Mohammad Asif 10-2-35-2; Shoaib Malik 6.5-0-25-1; Ashar Zaidi 3-0-13-0.
PAKISTAN ‘A’:
Ashar Zaidi lbw b Lewis 12
Imran Farhat c Watson b Cullen 27
Shoaib Malik not out 103
Bazid Khan not out 51
EXTRAS (NB-9, W-6) 15
TOTAL (for two wkts, 35.5 overs) 208
FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-82.
BOWLING: Bracken 7-0-29-0; Lewis 6-0-40-1; Johnson 8-0-45-0; Watson 3-0-23-0; Cullen 5.5-0-39-1; Hopes 4-0-18-0; White 2-0-14-0.
RESULT: Pakistan won by eight wickets.
UMPIRES: Iftikhar Malik and Rasheed Bhatti.
TV UMPIRE: Zameer Haider.
MATCH REFEREE: Taslim Arif.
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