Akhtar blows away Cricket Web XI
2nd Test - Day 2 - Cricket Web XI vs Pakistan - PDV Dome
The home team lasted just 61.1 overs when they took their turn at the crease, and despite losing a wicket in their second innings, Pakistan closed the day looking in control of the match. There was action from start to finish on a thrilling day of Test cricket.
In the first over the excitement kicked off with Mørk flying to his right in his attempt to catch the ball off Faisal Iqbal's edge. It was a difficult chance and not one that cost much. Iqbal added just 1 run to his overnight 39 before he flashed at Greg Thomas to be caught smartly in the gully. The dream return got even better for Thomas less than 20 minutes later. He matched pace and accuracy - just outside offstump - to snatch the edge of Sohail Tanvir and see his end. The score of 305-7 became 306-8 at the fall of the big fish, Kamran Akmal, beaten for pace and hit right in front of middle stump for 70. From there Yasir Arafat hit a couple of boundaries and Pakistan were all out for 320 with an hour to go until lunch.
That left Cricket Web XI to face 9 overs before the break. The opening partnership could not even survive the first over. Shoaib Akhtar worked Mørk over with a couple of short balls, into the rib cage, then had him fishing outside offstump to be caught in the slips. Akhtar then should have had Mamesh out for 10, but he got away with an aerial flick to square leg, as Kaneria failed to hang on. At lunch the score was 48-1 and the intent of Mamesh was clear from the first ball of the second session. He planted his front foot and smacked a length ball from Arafat over mid-on and away for four. Mamesh raced to fifty from as many balls with a thunderous pull shot for his 6 boundary, to go along with a six over third man. And after the Webbers raced past 100, Pakistan looked to be coming undone with two easy chances put down.
Mamesh on the go
© AP (originally shown on smh.com)
Mamesh was the second to be dropped, on 88, and he scored 14 from his next 5 balls to celebrate an 85-ball ton. Still he was not done. The next three balls from Danish Kaneria disappeared over long-on and there seemed no answer as CW XI passed 150. But just when it seemed no Paksitani bowler could defeat the man, Mamesh accounted for his own downfall by swinging over the top of a topspinner. He was bowled for 120 from 90 balls, with 14 fours and a stunning 4 sixes. Akhtar fired up with the breakthrough and enticed Pete Young into a loose pull which saw him caught at midwicket. Tanvir took over from Akhtar and pressed on with the damage. Cloete (12) was the highest profile name in a burst of 3 wickets, separated by the tea break. Rob Dauth and Nick Borcich played in a chancy partnership of 32 but it was hardly enough. Akhtar dismissed both of them and then wrapped up with the innings with Arafat taking a simple catch at mid-off. CW XI ended trailing by 61 runs at 259 all out.
Pakistan set out to withstand a mini-session against the Webber fast bowlers, and did so for the loss of Salman Butt, bowled by Borcich for 8. Again Borcich did the trick from around the wicket. Arafat batted for the second time on the day, entering as night-watchman and he fired off two cover drives to the boundary before stumps.
Pakistan 1st innings 320 all out (102 overs)
Shoaib Malik/Kamran Akmal 70, Younis Khan 48, Faisal Iqbal 40
GM Thomas 4-84, TJ Demeza 3-77
Cricket Web XI 1st innings 259 all out (61.1 overs)
T Mamesh 120, PE Young 40, RJ Dauth 34
Shoaib Akhtar 5-68, Sohail Tanvir 3-60
Pakistan 2nd innings 34-1 (11 overs)
Yasir Arafat 15*, Shoaib Malik 10*
NA Borcich 1-15
Pakistan lead by 95 runs with 9 second innings wickets in hand.
