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CAIRNS: Pakistan’s bowlers dismissed a modest Cricket Australia XI for 109 to clinch a 201-run win on Saturday on the third and final day of a tour match ahead of next week’s first day-night Test against Australia in Brisbane.
The visitors required just 27.3 overs to roll through the inexperienced home side, after Pakistan declared at 216-6, setting a target of 311 with two sessions to play.
But Pakistan needed just one, as spinner Mohammad Nawaz claimed three wickets and pacemen Mohammad Amir and Rahat Ali two each, following on from dismissing the hosts for 114 in the first innings.
Amir (2-18) looked dangerous with the new ball, sharply swinging it back after he also claimed three wickets on Thursday night in his opening two overs of the first innings.
Rahat (2-19) also pressed his claims for a Test recall, the left-armer trapping both openers, Jimmy Pearson and Jake Carder, lbw on balls that stayed low.
Pakistan opener Azhar Ali had earlier warmed up for the first test, starting on Thursday at the Gabba, with an unbeaten 82.
Azhar added 38 to his overnight score and struck three of his seven fours and two sixes on the final day before the Pakistan declaration to set up the result.
Nawaz was unbeaten alongside Azhar on 36 off 47 balls, with Sarfraz Ahmed the only man to be dismissed on Saturday, bowled for 39.
“We were very satisfied with what we got,” Azhar said. “Everyone got time in the middle - that was the most important thing.
“Getting runs is a different thing but spending time and getting used to [the pink ball] is very important.” Pakistan are coming off a two-Test series defeat in New Zealand and never won a Test series in Australia, winning just four of 32 matches since their first visit in 1964.
Australia have won just one of their past five Tests.
“As a team we really want to improve,” Azhar said. “Fielding is really important, catching in Test matches if you catch well generally you end up getting a result.”
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN (1st Innings) 208 (Younis Khan 54, Sarfraz Ahmed 39; C. Valente 4-36, M.T. Steketee 3-47).
CRICKET AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 114 (J.L Winter 39; Mohammad Amir3-15, Rahat Ali 3-26, Wahab Riaz 3-28).
PAKISTAN (2nd Innings, overnight 124-5):
Sami Aslam lbw b Steketee 12
Azhar Ali not out 82
Babar Azam c Short b Steketee 22
Younis Khan run out 7
Misbah-ul-Haq b Lees 0
Asad Shafiq b Wheatley 29
Sarfraz Ahmed b Lees 20
Mohammad Nawaz not out 36
EXTRAS (LB-5, NB-3) 8
TOTAL (for six wkts decl, 73 overs) 216
FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-51, 3-62, 4-68, 5-113, 6-158.
BOWLING: Steketee 19-6-62-2 (2nb); Valente
14-4-33-0; Wheatley 13-5-25-1; Lees 13-5-28-2; Nair 14-1-63-0 (1nb).
CRICKET AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings):
J.J. Peirson lbw b Rahat 0
J.M. Carder lbw b Rahat 17
W.G. Bosisto lbw b Amir 2
M.W. Short c Rahat b Nawaz 11
J.L. Winter c Babar b Amir 0
A.J. Nair c Asad b Nawaz 42
J.P. Inglis run out 8
C. Valente c Sarfraz b Wahab 9
M.T. Steketee b Nawaz 12
R.A. Lees not out 0
C. Wheatley c Younis b Azhar 0
EXTRAS (LB-6, NB-2) 8
TOTAL (all out, 27.2 overs) 109
FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-16, 3-20, 4-27, 5-42, 6-63, 7-87, 8-108, 9-109.
BOWLING: Mohammad Amir 6-1-18-2; Rahat Ali 6-1-19-2; Mohammad Nawaz 8-1-31-3; Wahab Riaz 6-0-34-1 (2nb); Azhar Ali 1.3-0-1-1.
RESULT: Pakistan won by 201 runs.
Published in Dawn December 11th, 2016
