KARACHI, May 13: Test reject Hasan Raza hit a sparkling century — his second in successive matches — to help Pakistan ‘A’ recover from a shaky start to reach 256 for six on the first day of the second unofficial Test against Zimbabwe ‘A’ at the Harare Club Ground on Thursday.

Hasan, who made an unbeaten 100 to set up his team’s narrow three-wicket victory in the first Test, scored 137 after coming to the crease with Pakistan ‘A’ struggling at 69 for three after being asked to bat first by Zimbabwe ‘A’ skipper Stuart Carlisle.

The Pakistan vice-captain struck 17 fours and five sixes during the course of his 23rd first-class century.

Skipper Misbahul Haq made 33 with six boundaries while adding 62 for the fourth-wicket with Hasan, who was easily the dominant partner in a sixth-wicket stand of 125 with wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider (12 not out).

Medium-pacers Tawanda Mupariwa and Blessing Mahwire were chiefly responsible for pegging back the visitors as they claimed five wickets between them.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN ‘A’ (1st Innings):

Naumanullah c Williams b Mupariwa 18

Faisal Athar c Taylor b Chibhabha 26

Shahzad Malik c Gripper b Mahwire 16

Misbahul Haq c Gripper b Mupariwa 33

Hasan Raza c Taylor b Mahwire 137

Faisal Iqbal c Gripper b Mupariwa 0

Zulqarnain Haider not out 12

Mansoor Amjad not out 0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-2, W-9, NB-1) 14

TOTAL (for six wkts, 88 overs) 256

FALL OF WKTS: 1-48, 2-56, 3-69, 4-131, 5-131, 6-256.

TO BAT: Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Khalil, Mohammad Irshad.

BOWLING (to-date): Mwayenga 12-1-37-0 (4w); Mahwire 25-7-64-2 (3w); Mupariwa 16-8-47-3; Chibhabha 15-6-32-1 (1nb); Cremer 18-3-60-0 (2w); Dabengwa 2-0-12-0.

ZIMBABWE ‘A’: T.R. Gripper, N.R. Ferreira, B.R.M. Taylor, S.V. Carlisle, S.C. Williams, C.J. Chibhabha, T. Mupariwa, A.G. Cremer, N.B. Mahwire, K.M. Dabengwa, A. Mwayenga.

UMPIRES: K.C. Barbour and I.D. Robinson.