Pakistan batsmen impress in win

Second Division Leicestershire proved no match for the touring Pakistanis, as they lost 6 wickets for 31 runs before Pakistan knocked off the required 203 runs in 40.2 overs to win the first match of their tour of England.

Shoaib Malik and captain Younis Khan were the heroes with the bat, Malik striking three maximum and twelve fours in a glorious 124 ball 110. Younis supported him well, reaching 55 when the winning runs were hit. All the Pakistanis looked in good form, with Khan and Malik capitalising on good work by the bowlers earlier in the day.

After losing late wickets on day two, Leicestershire enjoyed the worst possible start to day three when Mohammad Sami had opener Darren Robinson caught behind after his side had scored just 3 runs in the day. Captain Jeremy Snape soon followed, bowled by Umar Gul for 5.

John Sadler then came to the crease with the score 55/4. Fresh from 92 in the first innings, Sadler put on 105 with 21 year old wicketkeeper-batsman Tom New, unbeaten on 12 overnight. Sadler struck 11 fours in his 58 ball 51, before dangerous leggie Danish Kaneria claimed him as his first wicket.

Kaneria and fellow leg break bowler Shahid Afridi then took all the remaining wickets, enducing a collapse from 160/5 to 191 all out.

Set the task of chasing 203, Shoaib Malik opened with Imran Farhat, who blasted away with a cameo of 31 in 30 balls, before the impressive Chris Liddle struck, soon before grabbing his second wicket, Salman Butt. However, any hope Leicestershire held was false, Younis joined Malik and the pair’s 153 partnership in good time saw the tourists home.

Next up for Pakistan is England ‘A’ before the first Test against England, and the tourists, viewing today’s performance and England’s latest attempts at playing the game, may have reason to be confident.

Leicestershire 315/9 declared
Dinesh Mongia 129, John Sadler 92
Mohammad Sami 3/53, Imran Farhat 2/8

Pakistan 304/5 declared
Imran Farhat 81, Salman Butt 68
Nicholas Walker 3/47, Claude Henderson 1/101

Leicestershire 191 all out
Tom New 67, John Sadler 51
Danish Kaneria 4/32, Shahid Afridi 2/21

Pakistan 207/3
Shoaib Malik 110, Younis Khan 55
chris Liddle 2/27

Pakistan win by 7 wickets