WHANGAREI (New Zealand): Seamer Ed Nuttall grabbed a five-for as New Zealand ‘A’ bundled out Pakistan Shaheens for 194 on the opening day of their four-day fixture in Whangarei on Thursday.
All-rounder Nathan Smith backed Nuttall, who claimed five wickets for 54 runs, with 3-59 on a sweltering afternoon at Cobham Oval.
Smith had put himself on an unconverted hat-trick with the wickets of Yasir Shah and Sohail Khan but Mohammad Abbas denied him.
Former Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali top-scored for the visitors with a patient 58 off 172 balls after having seen off the early movement after New Zealand ‘A’ captain Michael Bracewell had elected to bowl first at the toss.
Azhar shared a 49-run stand for the third wicket with Imran Butt, but regular breakthroughs after Imran’s departure on 27 cost the Pakistan Shaheen the chance to build an imposing total.
By stumps, New Zealand ‘A’ were 23-1 after the loss of Henry Cooper.
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN SHAHEENS (1st innings):
Shan Masood lbw b Nuttall 8
Abid Ali c Fletcher b Nuttall 7
Azhar Ali c Bracewell b Nuttall 58
Imran Butt c Fletcher b Smith 27
Fawad Alam c Smith b Nuttall 3
Rohail Nazir c Carter b Henry 21
Amad Butt lbw b Nuttall 13
Yasir Shah c Carter b Smith 18
Sohail Khan c McClure b Smith 0
Mohammad Abbas not out 18
Naseem Shah b Rippon 3
EXTRAS (B-8, LB-3, W-3, NB-4) 18
TOTAL (all out, 73 overs) 194
FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-17, 3-66, 4-76, 5-114, 6-131, 7-161, 8-161, 9-178.
BOWLING: Henry 19-3-54-1; Nuttall 17-1-54-5 (4nb, 1w); Rae 15-4-36-0 (1w); Smith 18-5-29-3 (1w); Ravindra 1-0-2-0; Rippon 3-0-8-1.
NEW ZEALAND ‘A’ (1st Innings):
H.R. Cooper c Imran b Abbas 0
R. Ravindra not out 11
K.J. McClure not out 11
EXTRAS (LB-1) 1
TOTAL (for one wkt, 10 overs) 23
FALL OF WKT: 1-3.
TO BAT: M.G. Bracewell, J.F. Carter, N.G. Smith, C.D. Fletcher, M.J.G. Rippon, M.J. Henry, E.J. Nuttall, M.D. Rae.
BOWLING (to-date): Sohail Khan 5-1-18-0; Mohammad Abbas 5-3-4-1
UMPIRES: D.J. Walker and J.M. Dempsey.
MATCH REFEREE: R.E. Hayward.
Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2020