CANTERBURY (England), July 9: Pakistan’s final first-class match before Thursday’s first Test against England ended in draw on the fourth and final day on Sunday.

Pakistan, set a total of 507 to win in their second innings, closed on 154 for two.

Mohammad Yousuf was 35 not out and Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq 20 not out.

Pakistan began their second innings knowing they had a minimum of 46 overs to get the runs they needed, at a high rate of 11 an over, after England ‘A’ declared their second innings on 153 for one.

Alastair Cook was 80 not out and Ian Bell 50 not out after both batsmen had been included in England's 13-man first Test squad announced earlier Sunday.

Pakistan, clearly unimpressed by England's decision to bat on, after a first innings which had lasted for more than two days, only bowled part-time spinners Salman and Imran on Sunday.

The pair sent down 34.1 overs between them as the match meandered towards a draw. Pakistan's tit-for-tat response to England's tactics was understandable.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND ‘A’ (1st Innings) 595-9 declared (C.M.W. Read 150 not out, R.W.T. Key 136, I.R. Bell 74, S.C.J. Broad 54 not out, A.G.R. Loudon 51; Danish Kaneria 4-158).

PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 242 (Faisal Iqbal 82, Salman Butt 63; J.W.M. Dalrymple 4-61).

ENGLAND ‘A’ (2nd Innings, overnight 35-1):

A.N. Cook not out 80

R.W.T. Key b Imran 17

I.R. Bell not out 50

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-2, W-1) 6

TOTAL (for one wkt decl, 44.1 overs) 153

FALL OF WKT: 1-25.

BOWLING: Mohammad Sami 2-1-7-0 (1w); Umar Gul 2-0-15-0; Salman Butt 20.1-2-80-0; Imran Farhat 20-3-46-1.

PAKISTAN (2nd Innings):

Salman Butt retired out 50

Imran Farhat retired out 44

Mohammad Yousuf not out 35

Inzamamul Haq not out 20

EXTRAS (LB--2, W-1, NB-2) 5

TOTAL (for two wkts, 50 overs) 154

FALL OF WKTS: 1-85, 2-103.

BOWLING: Bresnan 5-1-20-0 (1nb); Broad 7-1-23-0; Dalrymple 12-1-47-0 (1nb); Loudon 5-0-22-0; Key 4-2-7-0; Shah 5-3-8-0 (1w); Cook 2-0-4-0; Bell 5-5-0-0; Bopara 2-0-13-0; Read 3-1-8-0 (1nb).

RESULT: Match drawn.

UMPIRES: R.K. Illingworth (England) and D.B. Hair (Australia). —AFP

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