February 18, 2008	Monday	Safar 10, 1429

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17: Defending champions Pakistan opened their bid for a third successive under-19 cricket World Cup title with a fluent eight-wicket demolition of hosts Malaysia in double-quick time here on Sunday.

Major rivals India, Australia and England also brushed aside lowly opponents in one-sided preliminary round matches on the first day of the 16-nation tournament.

India defeated Papua New Guinea, the East Asia-Pacific qualifiers, by 195 runs, Australia swamped Namibia by 149 runs and England swept aside Ireland by 10 wickets.

Pakistan, who won the last two editions of cricket’s premier junior event, needed just one session to complete an easy win over Malaysia in a Group ‘A’ match in Johor.

The hosts were bowled out for 75 by the 25th over after being given first strike with Adil Raza, a 16-year-old right-arm seamer from Gujranwala, taking 6-29 off his 10 overs.

Left-armer Mohammad Aamir chipped in with 3-11 as nine Malaysian batsmen failed to reach double figures on the easy-paced wicket.

Pakistan surpassed the modest target by the 10th over before the lunch break with Ahmed Shahzad making an unbeaten 27 and Umar Amin 31.

India, runners-up to Pakistan in the previous tournament in 2006, piled up 280-5 against Papua New Guinea, who managed only 85 in reply in Group ‘B’ in Kuala Lumpur.

Tanmay Srivastava led India’s charge with an unbeaten 83 after openers Taruwar Kohli (40) and Shreevats Goswami (58) had laid a solid platform with a first-wicket stand of 100 by the 22nd over.

Papua New Guinea, who do not have a turf wicket at home, fought hard to reach 81-5 before India grabbed the next five wickets for just four runs.

Left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdullah claimed 3-2 in three overs while Pardeep Sangwan, Ajitesh Argal and skipper Virat Kohli took two wickets each.

Australian captain Michael Hill smashed seven boundaries and 12 sixes in a blistering 124 off 71 balls that lifted his team to 312 all out against Namibia in Group ‘C’ in Penang.

The Aussies, who were comfortably placed at 276-4 in the 40th over, lost the last six wickets for 36 runs with Ya France and Ashley van Rooi claiming three wickets each.

The total, however, proved too much for the inexperienced Namibians, who were bowled out for 163 with Steven Smith finishing with four wickets.

England, meanwhile, dismissed Ireland for 109 in a Group ‘D’ match in Kuala Lumpur with Steven Finn claiming 3-21 and James Harris 3-40.

England openers James Taylor (52) and Billy Godleman (38) surpassed the target in the 16th over to make an impressive start in the tournament.

The junior World Cup features the 10 regular cricket nations – Australia, England, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe – plus five qualifiers and the hosts.

The regional qualifiers are Namibia (Africa), Nepal (Asia), Papua New Guinea (East Asia-Pacific), Ireland (Europe) and Bermuda (Americas).

The 16 teams are divided into four groups with the top two qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The final will be played at the Kinrara Oval here on March 2.

Scoreboard

MALAYSIA:

Shafiq Sharif c Shan b Adil 13

F.A.L. Rosmanizam b Aamir 5

Faizal Abu Hasan c Ali Asad b Adil 0

Ahmed Faiz c Umair b Adil 4

Aminuddin Ramly c Adil b Aamir 0

Norwira Zazmie b Aamir 0

Shahid Ali Khan lbw b Adil 2

Nik Azril Arifin b Ahmed Shahzad 28

Sharul Nizam b Adil 1

Saravanan Raj c Imad b Adil 4

S. Ananthasivam not out 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-11, W-4, NB-2) 18

TOTAL (all out, 24.4 overs) 75

FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-17, 3-30, 4-34, 5-34, 6-35, 7-55, 8-62, 9-74.

BOWLING: Mohammad Aamir 7-2-11-3 (1nb, 2w); Adil Raza 10-3-29-6 (2nb); Mohammad Rameez 3-1-13-0; Imad Wasim 4-0-10-0 (2w); Ahmed Shahzad 0.4-0-0-1.

PAKISTAN:

Ahmed Shahzad 27

Umar Akmal c Rosmanizam b Ananthasivam 1

Umar Amin b Nik Azril Arifin 31

Shan Masood not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-11, NB-4) 17

TOTAL (for two wkts, 9.3 overs) 76

FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-75.

DID NOT BAT: Ali Asad, Umair Mir, Usman Salahuddin, Imad Wasim, Adil Raza, Mohammad Aamir, Mohammad Rameez.

BOWLING: Ananthasivam 2-0-13-1 (3w); Shahid Ali Khan 3-0-22-0 (1nb, 7w); Aminuddin Ramly 1-0-12-0; Nik Azril Arifin 2-0-16-1 (1w); Sharul Nizam 1-0-10-0 (1nb); Saravanan Raj 0.3-0-1-0.

RESULT: Pakistan won by eight wickets.

UMPIRES: M. Erasmus (South Africa) and G.A. Pratapkumar (India).

MATCH REFEREE: M.J. Procter (South Africa).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Adil Raza.

Summarised scores of other matches on Sunday:

Group B

India beat Papua New Guinea by 195 runs in Kuala Lumpur

INDIA 280-5 in 50 overs (Tanmay Srivastava 83 not out, Shreevats Goswami 58, Taruwar Kohli 40, Virat Kohli 40); PAPUA NEW GUINEA 85 in 28 overs (Alfred Amini 26; Iqbal Abdullah 3-2, Pardeep Sangwan 2-18, Ajitesh Argal 2-5, Virat Kohli 2-4).

Group C

Australia beat Namibia by 149 runs in Penang

AUSTRALIA 312 in 48 overs (Michael Hill 124, Michael Cramner 40; Ya France 3-31, Ashley van Rooi 3-25); NAMIBIA 163 in 31 overs (Dawid Botha 56, Louis van der Westhuizen 48; Steven Smith 4-41).

Group D

England beat Ireland by 10 wickets in Kuala Lumpur

IRELAND 109 in 31.2 overs (Chris Dougherty 34; Steven Finn 3-21, James Harris 3-40); ENGLAND 110-0 in 15.5 overs (James Taylor 52 not out, Billy Godleman 38 not out).

Monday’s fixtures:

Group A: New Zealand v Zimbabwe.

Group B: West Indies v South Africa.

Group C: Sri Lanka v Nepal.

Group D: Bangladesh v Bermuda.

—Agencies