Pakistan spin wizard Saeed Ajmal’s 5-wicket haul, reinforced by opener Ahmed Shehzad’s half century edged hosts Guyana by 8 runs yesterday, in their 50 overs-a-side warm up match played at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda.
Played in front of a sold out crowd at the iconic Bourda ground, tourists Pakistan were strongly tested by the local players as the out-of-favour trio of West Indies players Narsingh Deonarine, skipper Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo produced classy performances with both bat and ball.
Deonarine crafted a breezy 55 from 70 balls which featured five fours and a duo of monster sixes, while Permaul picked up 3 for 27 from his 10 overs including 3 maidens and his spin twin Bishoo grabbed 3 for 39 from his allotted 10 overs, along with one maiden.
Permaul who earlier won the toss and elected to field, allowed the Pakistanis to rack up a decent 246 for 9 off their 50 overs despite blows to their key middle order.
Openers Shehzad and Nasir Jamshed looked solid as they built a good first wicket partnership bringing up the team’s first wicket half century stand in 10.5 overs.
Jamshed was the first to go as he was bowled by skipper Permaul for a scratchy 19 off 42 balls including two boundaries and 32 scoreless deliveries, as he found himself reaching for a delivery which eventually went through the gate, disturbing the timber.
Shehzad, who eventually finished his innings as the team’s top scorer, built his innings around most of his teammates. His next partner was number three batsman Mohamed Hafeez, who never looked settled as he was caught and bowled by Permaul for 11.
Skipper Misbah ul-Haq came in and did a slight repair job with the Shehzad who brought up his 50 from a mere 58 balls and took six boundaries from the opposition bowlers. The two picked up singles and twos, but after scoring a boundary-less 22 from 42 the, captain was trapped lbw by all-rounder Steven Jacobs.
With the score at 116 for 3, Asad Shafiq entered and looked to take on the spinners who had been dominating the majority of the innings. He was given a life on 2 when Jacobs had a near caught and bowled opportunity; he then composed himself and carried on his innings.
The next wicket was that of the set Shehzad who was stumped by keeper Anthony Bramble off Bishoo, finishing with 68 from 79 including nine fours. Umar Akmal’s stay was short-lived as he was bowled by Bishoo for 9.
Upon Akmal’s dismissal, in walked the most unpredictable, yet dangerous all-rounder in the world, Shahid Afridi who received a ‘rock star’ reception from the local crowd. Afridi and Shafiq looked positive from the onset as they played sensibly and rotated the strike.
After looking fluent with a positive 22 from 26, Shafiq held out to Leon Johnson in the deep off the bowling of Bishoo. Burly left arm bowler Wahab Riaz came to the crease and formed a partnership with Afridi which yielded 49 runs.
Afridi went about his typical way muscling a few sixes, after looking to notch up his third boundary by going big and straight, he was then caught at long off by Paul Wintz off Permaul for 31 which came off of 29 deliveries.
Riaz was then bowled by fast bowler Keon Joseph for a solid 23 which included two fours. Mohamed Rizwan struck two boundaries of nine balls in his score of 12 before he became Joseph’s second victim.
Keeper Umar Aim’s 17 not out and spinner Abdur Redman’s single run ended up the tourist’s innings.
Apart from the two left arm spinners, fast bowler Joseph grabbed 2 for 52 and Jacobs was a bit expensive going for 67 in 10 with one wicket.
The local boys looking to throw Pakistan off their game ahead of Sunday’s first ODI against the West Indies, fell short of their target by 8 runs finishing on 239 all out in 49.4 overs.
Openers Trevon Griffith and Anthony Bramble set out on their task but were stopped in their tracks by the 7-foot tall left arm fast bowler, Mohammad Irfan who removed Bramble on the fifth ball of the first over for a duck, then sent his partner Griffith back to the pavilion for 15 in which he managed two fours.
The out-of-form Ramnaresh Sarwan and his in-form teammate Johnson then occupied the number three and four spots respectively. The two looked solid from the outset as they scored runs in a synchronized manner. Sarwan hit a boundary and a six in his knock of 27 which came from 53 balls; he was stumped by keeper Umar Amin off an Abdur Rehman delivery.
With the score 72 for 3, Deonarine replaced Sarwan and together with Johnson the two caused nightmares for the Pakistan bowlers and brought up the team’s hundred in 21.5 overs.
Deonarine’s second delivery from Rehman was spanked through the covers for the first of many boundaries, while Johnson continued his merry way scoring all around the wicket, even taking 10 runs of Afridi’s over hitting two of them for fours.
The ex-West Indian duo continued to milk bowlers for runs, Deonarine hit Ajmal for a huge straight six, followed by a single which put Johnson on strike who was then trapped lbw for a well-played 31 of 48 that yielded four fours and a six.
Another in-form player who represented the West Indies, Assad Fudadin joined Deonarine who was looking very positive. Fudadin was cautious in his approach as the spinners operating began to tighten up. The two put on 41 for the 5th wicket and Fudadin playing defensively at one point was on 2 off 28, while his partner Deonarine was on 39.
Eventually Fudadin got his eyes in and feet moving and began to nudge and chip runs and smashed Ajmal for a huge six before holding out to Afridi who had been patrolling the boundary as he sought to repeat his shot over deep mid-wicket. He was Ajmal’s third scalp.
Guyana were 150 for 5 when all-rounder Christopher Barnwell walked out to the middle receiving a similar reception from the crowd that Afridi earlier experienced. Deonarine continued his innings by bringing up his half century with a four off Ajmal.
Barnwell spanked Irfan for a boundary through the covers, but Irfan answered a few balls later when the all-rounder provided a regulation catch to skipper ul-Haq, departing for 5.
Deonarine suddenly found himself running out of partners and became another Ajmal victim, who got his man as the left hander had his stumps castled for 55 from just 70 deliveries, an excellent innings which featured five fours and two sixes.
Another all-rounder in Jacobs came to the crease and was accompanied by his skipper Permaul who was dismissed on his third delivery for duck as Ajmal picked up his fourth, but the duo of Bishoo and Jacobs gave Guyana hope as they put on a 40-run partnership.
Jacobs smacked three huge sixes in his cameo of 27 from just 20 balls, but lost his wicket lbw to Ajmal who picked up his fifth. Bishoo and Paul Wintz played sensibly and took their team close to the target. Bishoo hit the boundaries while Wintz held his end down with smart running, after bringing the deficit to 8 from 3. Bishoo had his stumps and bails dislodged by Asad Ali who wrapped up the innings with two deliveries to spare. Ajmal’s figures of 10 overs 5 for 39 showed why he is ranked number two on the ICC ODI’s list of bowlers, while Irfan bullied the batters picking up 3 for 27. Teammates Rehman and Ali accounted for one wicket apiece.
All attention and focus will now be on Sunday’s clash between the West Indies and Pakistan as they are expected to light up the Providence National Stadium when they meet.
Scoreboard
Pakistan Scorecard
N. Jamshed b Permaul 19
A. Shehzad stmp wk Bramble b Bishoo 68
M. Hafeez c&b Permaul 11
Misbah ul-Haq lbw Jacobs 22
A. Shafiq c Johnson b Bishoo 22
U. Akmal b Bishoo 09
S. Afridi c Wintz b Permaul 31
W. Riaz b Joseph 23
M. Rizwan b Joseph 12
U. Amim not-out 17
A. Rehman not- out 01
Extras: (W-11)
Total: (for 9 wickets off 50 overs) 246
Fall of wickets : 1-62, 2-86, 3-116, 4-138, 5-157, 6-160, 7-209, 8-219, 9-234
Bowling: Joseph 9-1-52-2 (w3), Barnwell 4-0-25-0, Wintz 5-0-27-0 (W6), Permaul 10-3-27-3, Bishoo 10-1-39-3, Jacobs 10-0-67-1 (W1), Deonarine 2-0-9-0
Guyana Scorecard
T. Griffith 15 b Irfan
A. Bramble 0 lbw Irfan
R. Sarwan 27 c wk Amim b Rehman
L. Johnson 31 lbw Ajmal
N. Deonarine 55 b Ajmal
A. Fudadin 11 c Afridi b Ajmal
C. Barnwell 5 c Misbah b Irfan
S. Jacobs 27 lbw Ajmal
V. Permaul o lbw Ajmal
D. Bishoo 28 lbw Ali
P. Wintz 9 not- out
Extras: (W-9 NB-3)
Total 239
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 1-18. 3-72, 4-109, 5-150, 6-163, 7-170, 8-170, 9-211, 10- 239
Bowling: Ajmal 10-0-39-5 (w1), Irfan 7-0-27-3, Rehman 7-1-35-1, Ali 6.4-1-39-1(w3, nb1), Afridi 9-1-43-0 (w2), Hafeez 4-0-12-0, Riaz 6-1-32-0 (w3, nb2)
