FLORENCE HALL, Jamaica, CMC – Kieran Powell celebrated his recall to the West Indies Test squad with his second half-century of the match as the WICB President’s XI and Pakistan drew their tour game here yesterday.
Powell followed up his first innings score of 58 with an unbeaten 84 as the President’s XI reached 152 for two in their second innings when stumps were drawn about half-hour after tea on the final day of the three-day contest at the Trelawny Multiplex.
His batting followed purposeful bowling from the home team’s attack, led by leg-spinner Damion Jacobs with 4-45 from 16 overs, to dismiss the Pakistanis for 192, replying to their opponents’ first innings total of 419.
Left-arm fast-medium bowler Raymon Reifer ended with 2-21 from 13 overs and Kemar Roach grabbed 2-71 from 18 overs, as the Pakistanis, batting one short due to a groin injury to Hassan Ali, were dismissed about 40 minutes before the scheduled lunch interval with opener Ahmed Shehzad leading the way with 55 and Sarfraz Ahmed hitting a rapid-fire 50.
The left-handed Powell, whose comeback to the game from a self-imposed exile and a foray into Major League Baseball in the United States commenced last year, glanced leg-spinner Yasir Shah to fine leg for a double to reach his landmark and shared an opening stand of 75 with Kyle Hope.
He gave the Pakistanis another glimpse of what they can expect if he is on song and is selected in the final 11 for the historic 50th Test at Sabina Park, starting on Friday, mixing solid defence with an enterprising array of strokes.
Hope too, batted solidly for an hour and 45 minutes for 23 before he played forward to left-arm spinner Muhammad Asghar and edged to ‘keeper.
Hetmyer too, batting with the knowledge that he has been selected for the first Test, played his strokes before he was caught at short leg for 22 off Yasir on the stroke of the tea with the President’s XI 110 for two at tea.
After the break, Powell and Shamarh Brooks, the President’s XI skipper, indulged themselves before the final act.
Earlier, the President’s XI bowlers made inroads into the Pakistani batting after the visitors resumed from their overnight total of 129 for four.
Roach, looking to give regional selector Eldine Baptiste a sign that he has fully recovered from the injuries and poor form that have beset him over the last two years, bowled with fire and made the breakthrough when he had Asad Shafiq caught behind for 23.
This proved to be a golden period for the President’s XI, as three wickets fell for one run from 10 balls to leave the Pakistanis 132 for seven before Sarfraz took matters into his hands and started to play his shots, knowing that Ali would be unable to any further part in the game.