LAHORE: Four-wicket haul each by paceman Mohammad Talha and left-arm spinner Raza Hasan and century by Sami Aslam steered Pakistan ‘A’ to a comfortable nine-wicket victory over Kenya in the first one-day match at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Saturday.

Upcoming opener Sami made an unbeaten 101 off 97 balls while Fazal Subhan contributed an undefeated 69-ball 56 as Pakistan ‘A’ successfully chased down a moderate target of 168 in 28.3 overs, with 16.3 overs to spare.

Sami and Fazal, in the process, also registered the biggest partnership of the match as they collected 162 off 159 balls for the second wicket.

Sami adorned his knock with 11 fours and two sixes while Fazal struck four boundaries and a six. They joined hands when opener Sharjeel Khan (8) disappointed his fans, as he was clean bowled in the second over off right-arm pacer Elijah Otiena, after cracking two boundaries in the same over.

But Sami and Fazal stood firm for a match-winning partnership. Sami, however, dominated the proceedings punishing all bowlers, especially the trio of spinners with quite ease.

He scored 63 off the three spinners, including off-spinner James Nagoche stealing (21 runs off his 16 balls), cracking him all two sixes and one boundary, too, captain Shem Nagoche, left-arm-spinner (22 runs, 17 balls) including three fours, and another left-arm spinner Jedavji Bhimji (20 runs 21 balls) including two boundaries. Fazal, however, was defensive, cracking his lone six to off-spinner Jimmy Kamande.

He was more cautious against Bhimji as he could score 13 runs off 27 balls from him. Pakistan-A reached 50-run mark in the 9th over and touched the three figures in the 17th over, and went on to pile up 150 in 25th over without any further loss, before crossing the target.

Earlier, after the visitors were invited to bat first by Pakistan ‘A’ captain Fawad Alam, Kenyan innings revolved around Gurdeep Singh (55, three fours, 100 balls) and Nelson Odiambo (44, six fours, one six, 52 balls), as the rest of their batsmen failed to face the deadly bowling of Talha and Raza.

When both Gurdeep and Odiambo were batting, Kenya were in sight of a big total, but once the latter departed, caught by Shahzaib off Talha, wickets fell at regular interval as the visitors’ innings lasted just 38.3 overs.

Talha, the man-of-the-match, destroyed the top order, removing both the openers Alex Obanda (2) and Ken Owino (11) at the total of 25. Odiambo and Gurdeep also fell to Talha. Raza, however, mopped up the tail and leg-spinner Shahzaib Ahmed also snared 2-20.

Scoreboard

KENYA:

Alex Obanda c Rizwan b Talha 2

Ken Owino c Sharjeel b Talha 11

Gurdeep Singh c Sharjeel b Talha 55

Morris Ouma st. Rizwan b Raza12

Nelson Odiambo c Shahzaib b Talha44

Jimmy Kamande b Shahzaib3

Shem Nagoche b Shahzaib5

Nehemiah Odhiambo c Fazal b Raza14

Elijah Otieno c Fawad b Raza7

Jedevji Bhimji b Raza0

James Ngoche not out0

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-9, NB-1)14

TOTAL (all out, 38.3 overs)167

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-25, 3-46, 4-122, 5-126, 6-136, 7-157, 8-167, 9-167.

BOWLING: Mohammad Talha 8.3-1-32-4 (4w); Imran Khan 7-1-31-0 (1nb, 4w); Raza Hasan 66-1-20-4; Shahzaib Ahmed 9-0-42-2; Fawad Alam 8-0-38-0.

PAKISTAN:

Sami Aslam not out101

Sharjeel Khan b Otieno8

Fazal Subhan not out56

EXTRAS (LB-4, NB-1)5

TOTAL (for one wkt, 28.3 overs)170

FALL OFF WKT: 1-8.

DID NOT BAT: Babar Azam, Fawad Alam (captain), Saad Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Hammad Azam, Imran Khan, Mohammad Talha.

BOWLING: Nehemiah Odhiambo 4-1-21-0; Elijah Otieno 4-0-14-1; James Ngoche 3.3-0-28-0; Nelson Odhiambo 2-0-20-0; Shem Ngoche 5-0-32-0; Jadevji Bhimji 8-0-33-0; Jimmy Kamande 2-0-18-0 (1nb).

UMPIRES: Ahmed Shahab and Rashid Riaz.

TV UMPIRE: Javed Ashraf.

MATCH REFEREE: Mohammad Anees.

RESULT: Pakistan ‘A’ win by nine wickets.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mohammad Talha.

Published in Dawn December 14th , 2014