LAHORE, Sept 23: Australia ‘A’ scored a crushing seven-wicket win against Pakistan ‘A’ in the first One-dayer of three-match series in which the under prepared pitch of the Qadhafi Stadium also played a key role on Friday. Forced to bat first on a pitch which was prepared in haste hours before the match started and could not be dried up properly, the Pakistani batsmen failed to face the visitors’s pace attacj and were skittled out 96 in 32.2 overs.

Hasan Raza was the top scorer with 21 while seven batsmen failed to reach double figures.

In reply, a fine knock by opener Phil Jaques of 64 helped the visitors achieve the target in 17.4 overs for the loss of three wickets.

He hit 10 fours in a 61-ball knock. The Australian’s pace attack of Shane Watson (3-24), Mitchell Johnson (3-16), Steuart Clarke (2-21) and Nathan Bracken (2-11) took full advantage of the moisture on the pitch as the wickets fell at regular interval.

The openers Salman Butt (2) and Imran Farhat (6) again disappointed which is a worry for Pakistan selectors who are looking for a reliable opening pair.

All-rounder Shoaib Malik (8) too failed.

Zulqarnain Haider denied Watson a hat trick, who had removed skipper Misbahul Haq (6) and on the next ball Yasir Arafat, making the home team reeling at 6-36.

Muhammad Sami (16, one, four one six) remained unbeaten.

Earlier, the pitch could not be prepared properly because the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shifted the match from Bagh-i-Jinnah on Thursday evening due to security concern of the visitors after two bomb blast in Lahore, the same day.

The second match will be played on Sunday.

Scoreboard

Pakistan ‘A’

Salman Butt c Hussey b Bracken 2

Imran Farhat c Hussey b Bracken 6

Shoaib Malik c Watson b Jhonson 8

Bazid Khan c White b Jhonson 0

Misbah-ul-Haq c Hopes b Watson 6

Hasan Raza c Watson b Clark 21

Yasir Arafat c Hussey b Watson 0

Zulqarnain Haider c Hopes b Jhonson 10

Muhammad Sami not out 16

Umar Gul c & n b Clark 10

Rao Iftikhar Anjum c Jaques b Watson 4

EXTRAS (W-7, NB-6) 13

TOTAL (all out, 32.2 overs) 96

FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-12, 3-14, 4-28, 5-36, 6-36, 7-65, 8-66, 9- 82.

BOWLING: Stuart Clark 9-2-21-2; Nathan Bracken 7-2-11-2; Mitchell Johnson 6-0-24-3; Shane Watson 6.2-0-16-3; James Hopes 4-0-24-0.

Australia ‘A’:

Phil Jaques not out 64

Brad Hodge c Misbah b Yasir 17

Marcos North lbw Yasir 0

Micheal Hussey c Zulqarnain b Rao 2

Shane Watson not out 4

EXTRAS (W-4, NB-6) 10

TOTAL (for three wkts, 17.4 overs) 97

FALL OF WKTS: 1-63, 2-64, 3-80.

DID NOT BAT: J R Hopes, C L White, C D Hartley, D J Thornley, N W Bracken, M G Jhonson.

BOWLING: Muhammad Sami 4-0-27-0; Umar Gul 4-0-18-0; Rao Iftikhar Anjum 5- 0-25-1; Yasir Arafat 4.4-0-21-2.

UMPIRES: Afzal Ahmed-Saleem Badar.

REFEREE: Azhar Khan.