EAST LONDON – After a middle-order batting collapse on the opening day, Pakistan bounce back in style to keep upper hand on the second day of four-day tour match against South Africa Invitation XI Saturday.
A 81-run seventh wicket partnership between pacer Umar Gul and wicket-keeper batsman Sarfraz Ahmed ensured that Pakistan cross 300 mark in their first innings. Sarfraz batted superbly with the tail-enders to lead Pakistan to a respectable total of 329 when they were struggling at 145-6 on the opening day. Sarfraz hit 93 while Gul scored 49 and then took two early wickets to put the Invitation XI under pressure. Junaid Khan also gave ample support to Sarfraz with his useful 26 runs. Although Saeed Ajmal fell almost immediately to the second new ball, Sarfraz had partnerships of 45 for the ninth wicket with Junaid and 49 for the last wicket with M Irfan before he was last man out, caught on the boundary off Harmer. He faced 161 balls and hit 12 fours and a six.
S Harmer was the pick of the SA XI bowling as he completed a five-wicket haul for 88 runs. K Abbott took three for 82 while B Hendricks got two for 85. Wayne Parnell, who was returning after an injury lay off remained wicket-less in his 18 overs conceding 48 runs.
After getting a sufficient score on the board, Pakistan bowling lived upto their reputation as they reduced South Africa Invitation XI to 213-7 when bad light ended the second day’s play. The left-handed batsman, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, was the star for Inviatation XI as he hit an aggressive 92 before he was leg before wicket to off-spinner Ajmal.
S van Zyl was next best who scored 45 runs before caught shot of crease on a direct hit by Irfan.
Wicket keeper DJ Vilas (31) and Harmer (2) were on the crease when the bad light put a halt on the second day’s proceedings. For Pakistan, Gul and Ajmal struck twice for 32 and 49 runs, respectively while Junaid and Irfan took one wicket apiece. Hafeez remained wicketless in his six overs spell.
scoreboard
PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS:
M Hafeez c Puttick b Abbott 55
Nasir Jamshed c Chetty b Harmer 68
Azhar Ali c Chetty b Harmer 2
Younus Khan c Vilas b Hendricks 5
Misbah c van Jaarsveld b Hendricks 4
Asad Shafiq b Abbott 4
Sarfraz Ahmed c Abbott b Harmer 93
Umar Gul st Vilas b Harmer 49
Saeed Ajmal c Vilas b Abbott 4
Junaid Khan lbw b Harmer 26
M Irfan not out 5
EXTRAS: (b 4, lb 2, nb 8) 14
TOTAL: (all out; 102.3 overs) 329
FOW: 1-105, 2-116, 3-135, 4-139, 5-145, 6-145, 7-226, 8-235, 9-280, 10-329
BOWLING: K Abbott 23-5-82-3, B Hendricks 22-6-85-2, W Parnell 18-2-48-0, S Harmer 35.3-8-88-5, J Ontong 4-0-20-0
SA INVITATION XI 1ST INNINGS:
A Puttick lbw b Junaid 8
D Jacobs lbw b Gul 19
S van Zyl run out 45
C Chetty b Gul 0
V van Jaarsveld lbw b Ajmal 92
J Ontong c Sarfraz b Irfan 7
D Vilas not out 31
W Parnell c Irfan b Ajmal 3
S Harmer not out 2
EXTRAS: (b 4, nb 2) 6
TOTAL: (7 wickets; 61 overs) 213
FOW: 1-27, 2-31, 3-31, 4-120, 5-141, 6-190, 7-198
BOWLING: Umar Gul 12-3-32-2, Junaid Khan 14-0-64-1, M Irfan 9-1-41-1, M Hafeez 6-1-23-0, Saeed Ajmal 20-5-49-2
TOSS: Pakistan
UMPIRES: I Howell, D Smith
MATCH REFEREE: A Barnes