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LINCOLN (New Zealand): Pakistan failed to defend a total of 313 as centuries from Henry Nicholls and Tim Seifert led the New Zealand Board President’s XI to a six-wicket victory in the opening tour game at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln on Sunday.
Pakistan, who opted to bat at the start of their World Cup preparations, began shakily as Mohammad Hafeez and Younis Khan were gone cheaply in the first three overs.
After Ahmed Shehzad failed to convert his start of 37, and Sohaib Maqsood was out as well, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal led the side’s recovery with a 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Misbah, returning to the side after recovering from a hamstring injury, top scored for Pakistan with 107 from 119 balls while Umar scored a quick-fire 68 off 59 deliveries.
Quick wickets soon reduced them to 234-7 but Misbah and Wahab Riaz, who scored 30 off 21 balls, pushed the score to over 300.
NZ Board President’s XI’s chase was set up by a 93-run partnership between openers Michael Pollard and Nicholls, and the latter built on that by adding another 85 with Seifert before his dismissal for 104. Nicholls’ 113-ball innings included 14 fours. Seifert then controlled the chase, notching up an unbeaten 115 off 89 deliveries to lead the side to victory.
Needing 36 from the final three overs, Seifert and fringe player Ken McClure did it with four balls to spare.
They needed seven to win from the final over, but Seifert hit a six and a four to wrap it up easily.
And this wasn’t some thrown together Pakistan team, this was their World Cup squad and it featured Misbah, Younis and Shahid Afridi, who was dismissed for a golden duck by seamer Logan van Beek.
“This is a great win,” Board President’s XI coach Bob Carter said. “Obviously we batted well, but I think we bowled very well too and they only got away on us at the end.
“The Pakistan team didn’t take it lightly either and were clearly fired up at trying to win the match in the dying overs.”
The two sides meet again on Tuesday at the same venue.
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN:
Mohammad Hafeez run out 2 Ahmed Shehzad run out 37 Younis Khan c Blundell b Jamieson 1 Misbah-ul-Haq c van Beek b Hicks 107 Sohaib Maqsood c Hicks b Astle 15 Umar Akmal c Pollard b Nuttal 68 Sarfraz Ahmed c Hicks b van Beek 19 Shahid Afridi c Blundell b van Beek 0 Wahab Riaz c Nicholls b Hicks 30 Ehsan Adil c Blundell b Jamieson 21 Sohail Khan not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-8, W-5) 13
TOTAL (all out, 49.3 overs) 313
FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-9, 3-43, 4-81, 5-186, 6-233, 7-234, 8-268, 9-304.
BOWLING: Jamieson 9.3-0-63-2 (1w); Nuttal 8-1-46-1 (2w); van Beek 10-0-53-2 (1w); Astle 8-0-43-1; Johnston 8-0-48-0 (1w); Hicks 6-0-52-2.
NEW ZEALAND BOARD PRESIDENT’S XI:
H.M. Nicholls run out 104
M.A. Pollard c Sohaib b Ehsan 35
T.L. Seifert not out 115
T.A. Blundell c Shehzad b Ehsan 33
L.J. Carter c Younis b Sohail 1
K.J. McClure not out 13
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-6, W-8, NB-1) 16
TOTAL (for four wkts, 49.2 overs) 317
FALL OF WKTS: 1-93, 2-178, 3-265, 4-274.
DID NOT BAT: S. Hicks, T.D. Astle, L.V. van Beek, T.G. Johnston, K.A. Jamieson, E.J. Nuttal.
BOWLING: Sohail Khan 10-0-66-1 (2w); Ehsan Adil 9.2-1-81-2; Wahab Riaz 10-0-61-0 (1nb, 2w); Shahid Afridi 10-0-42-0; Ahmed Shehzad 6-0-43-0; Younis Khan 4-0-17-0.
RESULT: New Zealand Board President’s XI won by six wickets.
UMPIRES: G.A.V. Baxter and A.L. Gillies.
Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2015
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