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| October 9, 2005 | Sunday | Ramzan 4, 1426 |
Umar Gul and Hasan shine in abandoned tie
PESHAWAR, Oct 8: Hasan Raza struck a magnificent unbeaten century and speedster Umar Gul took a five-wicket haul before the four-day fixture between Pakistan XI and Peshawar Panthers was abandoned as a draw in the aftermath of calamity caused by Saturday’s earthquake in the surrounding areas.
Put into bat on a moist Arbab Niaz Stadium pitch, the Pakistan XI lost seven wickets for just 31 runs before Hasan rescued his side with a polished 125 on an eventual opening day which should have marked the start of the domestic first-class season.
Umar Gul, now restored to full fitness, devastated the Pakistan XI’s batting line-up by taking four early wickets. Fazle Akbar also was on song with the wickets of Salman Butt (4), Bazid Khan (0) and Kamran Akmal (0) after Younis Khan had opted to field first.
But it was Hasan, who sent out yet another reminder to the national selectors, with an uncharacteristic aggressive onslaught on the bowlers to wrest the initiative partially as Pakistan Xi reached 241 for nine. The 23-year-old right-hander hammered as many as six sixes and nine fours.
Mansoor Amjad, the emerging leg-spinning all-rounder, also shone with the bat he helped Hasan put on 174 for the eighth wicket while scoring 71 off 107 balls. His knock was laced with 10 fours and one six.
A total of only 57 overs were possible as the match was stopped twice. There was a stoppage of 16 minutes all players and officials inside the dressing-room rushed onto the field after feeling the jolts of the earthquake. And then a further 54 minutes of play was lost to bad light.
Fazle provided Peshawar Panthers with a perfect start by sending back Salman Butt in the first over of the match. Umar Gul bowled Shoaib Malik in the next over before Fazle struck again by having Bazid Khan caught behind by Ahmed Said.
Pakistan XI skipper Mohammad Yousuf, ex-Yousuf Youhana, was out after making only 13 to Umar, who had Asim Kamal caught in the slips for a duck.
Mohammad Sami, who was surprisingly asked to bat ahead of the more accomplished Mansoor by Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, scored just five before Hasan and Mansoor revived the innings with their big partnership.
Umar Gul finished with five for 52 in 17 overs while Fazle claimed four for 70 in 13 overs.
SCOREBOARD
PAKISTAN XI (1st Innings):
Salman Butt Ibw b Fazle 4
Shoaib Malik b Umar 3
Bazid Khan c Ahmed Said b Fazle 0
Mohammad Yousuf c Younis b Umar 13
Asim Kamal c Shoaib b Umar
Hasan Raza not out 125
Kamran Akmal c Ahmed Said Fazle 0
Mohammad Sami b Umar 5
Mansoor Amjad c Said b Umar 70
Shabbir Ahmed c Yasir b Fazle 10
Mohammad Asif not out 0
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-5, NB-5) 11
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 57 overs) 241
Fall of wickets: 1/4, 8/2, 8/3, 4/16, 5/21, 6/22, 7/31, 8/205, 9/240
BOWLING (to-date): Fazle Akbar 13-2-70-4; Umar Gul 17-1-52-5; Riaz Afridi 9-0-29-0; Arshad Khan 16-0-78-0; Wajahatullah Wasti 1-0-3-0.
UMPIRES: Nadeem Ghauri and Zamir Haider.
RESULT: Match abandoned as a draw.—APP
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