Share this story!            

NZ Invitation XI v Pakistanis tour match: Rauf takes four as tourists dominate

QUEENSTOWN: The Pakistanis began their tour on an encouraging note with their seamers finding form on the opening day against a New Zealand Invitation XI in Queenstown. Abdur Rauf took a four-wicket haul as the hosts were bowled out for 234, thanks largely to wicketkeeper Reece Young’s opportunitistic 75 while Test hopefuls James Franklin and Daniel Flynn fell short of their half-centuries.

None of the four Pakistan bowlers in action made the trip to the UAE for the limited-overs series yet all contributed to the wickets column today. Rauf, the right-arm seamer who toured Sri Lanka earlier this year, got the first breakthrough in the fourth over, getting rid of Craig Cumming. Danish Kaneria, the legspinner, took two wickets in quick succession to reduce the hosts to 60 for 4 before Flynn and Franklin began the recovery. They added 52 for the fourth wicket before Rauf returned to claim Flynn for 49. Franklin fell seven short of his half-century when he was caught by Imran Farhat - back in national colours after cutting his links with the ICL - off Yasir Arafat.

Young led the second phase of the hosts’ recovery, shepherding the lower order, after they were reduced to 151 for 7. His 75 came off 104 balls with seven fours and a six. He was the last man out when he fell to Rauf, who finished with figures of 4 for 43. Mohammad Asif began his tour with figures of 2 for 60, while Kaneria and Arafat also picked up two each. Pakistan lost Khurram Manzoor early and were 14 for 1 at stumps. agencies

Home | Sport

Share this story!