July 14, 2006	Friday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 17, 1427

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DARWIN, July 13: Opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez compiled an imperious 180 runs on Thursday as Pakistan ‘A’ notched 431 in reply to Australia ‘A’s 510 on the third day of their four-day match at the Marrara Cricket Ground.

Australia ‘A’ were 57 for two in their second innings at stumps for a lead of 136 runs with eight wickets in hand and a day remaining. Phil Jaques was 37 not out.

Hafeez's massive innings and a handy 71 by Shahid Yousuf gave Pakistan hope of approaching Australia ‘A’s total but, after reaching 405 for five, the tourists lost their last five wickets for 26 runs.

Hafeez, who was batting on 86 on Wednesday, batted six and a half hours, hitting 19 fours and three sixes, while Yousuf struck his 71 from 119 balls with 11 fours and a six. Bazid Khan added 53 and wicket-keeper Mohammad Salman 31.

Spinner Cullen Bailey cut through Pakistan's lower order, finishing with four for 71 from 15.3 overs. Speedster Mitchell Johnson took three for 93.

Bailey said Australia would weigh conditions on Friday before deciding whether to declare and set Pakistan a winning run chase.

“It’s obviously quite an unresponsive pitch so its always sort of risky setting targets on a pitch like this, because it does favour the bat considerably,” Bailey said. “I think we'll probably just bat for the first couple of hours and then see how it went.”

Meanwhile, India ‘A’ dismissed New Zealand ‘A’ for 153 in their second innings and will chase a further 205 for victory after three days of their four-day match at the Gardens Oval in Darwin.

India ‘A’ closed the third day at one without loss.

New Zealand ‘A’ held a 52-run first innings lead, reaching 332 and then dismissing India ‘A’ for 280.

Test off-spinner Jeetan Patel took four for 68, including his 100th first class wicket.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA ‘A’ (1st Innings) 510-6 declared (S.R. Watson 161 not out, B.J. Haddin 129, M.J. Cosgrove 61, P.A. Jaques 60).

PAKISTAN ‘A’ (1st Innings, overnight 165-1):

Mohammad Hafeez c Haddin b Johnson 180

Riffatullah c Haddin b Johnson 39

Shahid Yousuf lbw b Cullen 71

Misbahul Haq lbw b Watson 14

Bazid Khan lbw b Bailey 53

Hasan Raza b Johnson 6

Mohammad Salman 31

Abdur Rehman c Birt b Bailey 4

Mohammad Khalil lbw b Bailey 1

Wasim Khan c Haddin b Bailey 7

Mohammad Irshad not out 0

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-12, NB-10) 25

TOTAL (all out, 118.3 overs) 431

FALL OF WKTS: 1-71, 2-249, 3-279, 4-346, 5-353, 6-405, 7-415, 8-419, 9-425.

BOWLING: Tait 27-9-76-0; Johnson 26-2-93-3 (4nb); Watson 16-2-56-1 (5nb); Bailey 15.3-4-71-4 (1nb); Cullen 31-1-108-2; Cosgrove 3-1-12-0.

AUSTRALIA ‘A’ (2nd Innings):

C.J.L. Rodgers c Riffat b A. Rehman 16

P.A. Jaques not out 37

M.J. Cosgrove c Bazid b A. Rehman 2

EXTRAS (W-1, NB-1) 2

TOTAL (for two wkts, 14 overs) 57

FALL OF WKTS: 1-53, 2-57.

BOWLING (to-date): Wasim Khan 4-0-13-0 (1nb); Mohammad Khalil 4-1-21-0 (1w); Mohammad Irshad 2-0-14-0; Mohammad Hafeez 2-0-6-0; Abdur Rehman 2-0-3-2.

Summarised scores of other match:

NEW ZEALAND ‘A’ 332 (C.D. McMillan 108, M.S. Sinclair 76, M.H.W. Papps 69, R.J. Nicol 36; Piyush Chawla 5-86) and 153 (R.J. Nicol 55, M.S. Sinclair 33; R.P. Singh 4-33); INDIA ‘A’ 280 (T.P. Singh 85, R. Sharma 57, S. Badrinath 55, P.A. Patel 35; J.S. Patel 4-68) and 1-0.—Agencies