Haris, Imam lead Pakistan to victory in SA tour opener
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BENONI: Half-centuries by Haris Sohail and Imam-ul-Haq added to three wickets from Mohammad Amir helped Pakistan complete a good all-round win on the final day of their three-day warm-up fixture against the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Invitation XI in Benoni on Friday.
The tourists won by six-wickets late on day three at the Willowmoore Park, completing their preparations for the three-match Test series starting against Faf du Plessis-led South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.
Amir, who missed the recent series against Australia and New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates, first bagged three for 35 in 12 overs as the hosts declared on 182 for seven in their second innings.
Neil Brand was the top-scorer for the home side with 71 (off 145 balls, six fours and one six), while there were useful 30s from captain Marques Ackerman (32) and Onke Nyaku (37).
That enabled the South Africans to set a target of 195 in around 50 overs.
The Pakistanis were rarely troubled in their chase thanks to the anchoring innings played by Imam-ul-Haq.
The opener made 66 (93 balls, 10 fours) as he shared in a first-wicket stand of 42 with fellow left-hander Shan Masood, who made 24, before Fakhar Zaman followed soon after for 17, the men to strike being Thandolwethu Mnyaka (1-20) and Kyle Simmonds (2-79).
But Imam added 96 with top-scorer Haris for the third wicket, and even though he fell not long after, a brisk and unbeaten 73 (87 balls, 10 fours and two sixes) by the
latter helped the touring side reach their target in 40.2 overs.
Scoreboard
CSA INVITATION XI (1st Innings) 318-7 declared (M.J. Ackerman 103 not out, J. Richards 98, N. Brand 38, K.I. Simmonds 30; Azhar Ali 2-29, Faheem Ashraf 2-45).
PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 306-7 declared (Babar Azam 104 not out, Azhar Ali 100, Shan Masood 41; T. Mnyaka 3-45).
CSA INVITATION XI (2nd Innings, overnight 45-1):
N. Brand c Asad b Amir 71
J. Richards b Amir 8
T.A. Dithole run out 15
M.P. Breetzke c Faheem b Amir 1
M.J. Ackermann c Babar b Azhar 32
O. Nyaku c Haris b Yasir 37
R. Moonsamy not out 10
K.I. Simmonds b Shaheen 4
EXTRAS (B-4) 4
TOTAL (for 7 wkts decl, 50.3 overs) 182
FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-60, 3-62, 4-108, 5-155, 6-169, 7-182.
BOWLING: Mohammad Amir 12-2-35-3; Shaheen Shah Afridi 10.3-1-39-1; Faheem Ashraf 5-1-18-0; Hasan Ali 8-2-23-0; Yasir Shah 11-2-45-1; Azhar Ali 4-0-18-1.
PAKISTAN (2nd Innings):
Imam-ul-Haq st M’samy b Simmonds 66
Shan Masood c Dithole b Mnyaka 24
Fakhar Zaman c Nyaku b Simmonds 18
Haris Sohail not out 73
Faheem Ashraf c Cartwright b Brand 7
Mohammad Rizwan not out 4
Extras (B-2, W-1) 3
Total (for four wkts, 40.2 overs) 195
FALL OF WKTS: 1-42, 2-68, 3-164, 4-183.
BOWLING: Trumpelmann 5-1-22-0; Mnyaka 4-1-20-1; Simmonds 16-2-79-2; Cartwright 3-0-17-0; Ackermann 7-0-22-0 (1w); Brand 5.2-0-33-1.
RESULT: Pakistan won by six wickets.
UMPIRES: S. George and A.T. Holdstock.
MATCH REFEREE: A. Barnes.
Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2018
