September 22, 2007	Saturday	Ramazan 09, 1428

LAHORE, Sept 21: A scintillating century by opener Phil Jaques and a five-wicket haul by left-arm medium-pacer Doug Bollinger helped Australia ‘A’ gain stranglehold in the four-day game against Pakistan ‘A’ at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Jaques, who was 18 runs short of a century in the first innings, hit a 176-ball 136 during a marathon stay of 268 minutes at the wicket as Australia ‘A’, after gaining a 39-run lead in the first innings, were 288 for two by close of play in the second innings, making the overall lead 327, with eight wickets intact.

An early closure at 4.25pm due to rain and later bad light, rescued the home team from further disaster.

Jaques featured in two main partnerships of the innings. He put on 101 runs for the first wicket stand with fellow-opener C.J Rogers, in 103 minutes. As Rogers was adjudged leg before wicket off left-arm medium-pacer Mohammad Khalil for a 59-ball 54 (eight boundaries), Jaques with next man David Hussey went on to collect 168 for the second wicket in just 193 minutes. Earlier, he completed his half century off 74 balls with seven fours as the visitors took lunch at 158-1.

After lunch, the cool-headed Jaques, cracking nine fours and one six, completed his fine century off 124 balls before Naved Latif caught him at point for 136 off Tahir Khan

Hussey and Captain Adam Voges (11) were at the crease when drizzle stopped play at 4.25pm. Although it stopped raining soon after, the umpires decided to call off the play at 4.55pm, citing poor visibility as the reason. Hussey by then had scored 69 with seven boundaries, while facing 103 balls during a stay of 197 minutes.

Earlier, Pakistan resumed the first innings at 238-8, but they were soon all out when Bollinger, who claimed three wickets on Thursday, picked up the remaining two to finish with a fine figure of five for 15. Pakistan were all out for 254 to concede the lead.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA ‘A’: (1st innings) 293 (Luke Ronchi 107, Phil Jaques 82).

PAKISTAN ‘A’: (1st innings, overnight 238-8).

Khalid Latif c Ronchi b Bollinger 0

Khurram Manzoor c Ronchi b Bollinger 19

Yasir Hameed c Ronchi b Hopes 1

Anwar Ali c Ronchi b Hopes 0

Naveed Latif run out 41

Faisal Iqbal c White b MacGill 74

Mansoor Amjad c White b Gillespie 10

Sarfraz Ahmed c Bailey b Bollinger 61

Mohammad Sami b Bollinger 32

Tahir Khan lbw Bollinger 6

Mohammad Khalil not out 1

EXTRAS: (B-4, LB-1, NB-4) 9

TOTAL: (all out, 84.5 overs) 254.

FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-16, 3-16, 4-25, 5-111, 6-138, 7-166, 8-237, 9-245.

BOWLING: Bollinger 14.5-8-15-5 (nb2); Gillespie 16-5-38-1 (nb1); Hopes 12-4-21-2 (nb1); MacGill 14-2-68-1; White 9-1-41-0; Bailey 16-2-51-0; Hussey 3-0-15-0.

AUSTRALIA ‘A’ (2nd innings)

C.J.L. Rogers lbw b Khalil 54

Phil Jaques c Naved b Tahir 136

David Hussey not out 69

Adam Voges not out 11

EXTRAS: (B-6, LB-4, W-1, NB-7) 18

TOTAL: (for two wkts, 60 overs) 288

FALL OF WKTS: 1-101, 2-269.

BOWLING: Sami 8-0-49-0; Anwar 11-2-45-0 (nb1); Khalil 13-0-61-1 (nb3, w1); Tahir 18-0-62-1 (nb1); Mansoor 10-0-61-0 (nb2).