NORTHAMPTON (England), July 22: Openers Salman Butt and Imran Farhat found some form ahead of second Test against England as Pakistan beat Northamptonshire by seven wickets at Wantage Road on Saturday.

The duo, who both failed twice in the opening Test, extended their stand to 118 after starting day three 24-0.

Imran fell to part-time spinner Usman Afzaal for 64, and Salman was caught off Bilal Shafayat when just three runs needed for his century.

Fit-again Younis Khan, who led the team in this three-day match, hit the winning runs just before lunch.

Northamptonshire never threatened to early wickets as the two left-handers were quickly into their stride.

Imran twice cleared the boundary as well as hitting six fours during his 94-ball innings that will do his chances of retaining his Test spot no harm.

Salman also laid down a marker for next week’s Test at Old Trafford with attractive 110-ball knock during which he managed to strike 15 boundaries.

Scoreboard

NORHAMPTONSHIRE (1st Innings) 269-3 declared (S.D. Peters 142, U. Afzaal 71 not out).

PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 250-9 declared (Younis Khan 58; D.H. Wigley 5-77).

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE (2nd Innings) 140.

PAKISTAN (2nd Innings, overnight 24-0):

Salman Butt c Wigley b Shafayat 84

Imran Farhat c White b Afzaal 64

Taufiq Umar c Wigley b Shafayat 2

Younis Khan not out 8

Faisal Iqbal not out 0

EXTRAS (NB-2) 2

TOTAL (for three wkts, 40.2 overs) 160

FALL OF WKTS: 1-118, 2-143, 3-157.

BOWLING: Wigley 12-2-36-0; Phillips 7-1-13-0; Brown 6-2-34-0; Afzaal 8.2-0-52-1 (2nb); Shafayat 7-0-25-2.

RESULT: Pakistan won by seven wickets.

UMPIRES: N.G.B. Cook and N.A. Mallender.—Agencies