Pakistan bowlers struggle in Test warm-up
FLORENCE HALL (Jamaica): Shimron Hetmyer led a triumvirate of left-handed batsmen that collected half-centuries, as the WICB President’s XI made Pakistan toil in the field all day in their first-class tour match here on Saturday.
Hetmyer led the way with a typically enterprising 97 (11 boundaries and two sixes), fellow Guyana Jaguars batsman Vishaul Singh was unbeaten on 81 and resurgent Kieran Powell made 58, as the President’s XI reached 311 for five in their first innings at the close, after deciding to bat on a windy, but clear first day of the three-day contest at the Trelawny Multiplex.
Hetmyer dominated the first half of the day and shared 148 for the second wicket with Powell to give a solid platform for the rest of the home team’s batting to flourish which Singh did to anchor two half-century stands with Jahmar Hamilton and left-handed Jaguars team-mate Raymon Reifer to advance claims for higher duty.
The day started bitterly for the President’s XI, when Kyle Hope, one of the contenders to open the batting with Kraigg Brathwaite in the forthcoming three-Test series against the Pakistanis, was caught at forward short leg for two from a sharply rising, second ball of the match from left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Amir.
Scoreboard
WICB PRESIDENT’S XI (1st Innings):
K.A. Hope c Shan b Amir 2
K.O.A. Powell run out 58
S.O. Hetmyer c Younis b Yasir 97
S.S.J. Brooks lbw b Asghar 9
V.A. Singh not out 81
J.N. Hamilton b Amir 26
R.A. Reifer not out 36
EXTRAS (NB-2) 2
TOTAL (for five wkts, 91 overs) 311
FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-150, 3-159, 4-193, 5-244.
TO BAT: R.R.S. Cornwall, D.K. Jacobs, K. Joseph, K.A.J. Roach.
BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Amir 18-4-45-2; Hasan Ali 21-2-63-0 (2nb); Mohammad Asghar 20-2-88-1; Asad Shafiq 6-0-15-0; Yasir Shah 24-0-91-1; Azhar Ali 2-0-9-0.
PAKISTAN: Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Ahmed Shehzad, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Asghar.
UMPIRES: G.O. Brathwaite and J.S. Wilson.
MATCH REFEREE: D.O. Hayles.
Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2017