Pakistan win with ease

Pakistani openers Salman Butt and Imran Farhat found some form ahead of the 2nd Test, both striking half centuries as the tourists recorded a win at Northampthonshire.

With Younis Khan back for the next Test, someone has to give way, and today’s innings’ will have done neither batsmen’s chances of retaining their place any harm. Resuming on 24/0 last night, needing 160 to win, Farhat and Butt took the score through to 118 before the loss of the first wicket.

The pair treated the spin of Jason Brown and Usman Afzaal with disdain. Afzaal managed to break the partnership with Farhat’s wicket, but not before Farhat had collected 64 runs including two sixes.

By the time the wicket came the game was more or less over, though, with just 42 runs needed. Bilal Shafayat’s medium pace managed to claim the wickets of Taufeeq Umar (2) and Butt (84), who will be disappointed that he couldn’t stake a further claim for his Test spot by seeing the team through to the end. However, Pakistan were never in trouble of losing and eased home by 7 wickets, with Younis Khan hitting the winning runs off Afzaal. Bring on the second Test.

Northamptonshire 269-3 declared
Stephen Peters 142, Usman Afzaal 71*
Samiullah Khan 2-35, Jannisar Khan 1-28

Pakistan 250-9 declared
Younis Khan 58, Kamran Akmal 38
David Wigley 5-77, Sourav Ganguly 1-19

Northamptonshire 140 all out
Ben Phillips 39, Charl Pietersen 20
Shahid Nazir 3-33, Imran Farhat 2-15

Pakistan 160-3
Salman Butt 84, Imran Farhat 64
Bilal Shafayat 2-25, Usman Afzaal 1-52

Pakistan win by 7 wickets