KARACHI: Opener Zaid Alam excelled with a brilliant century as Pakistan continued their preparations for the impeding ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand with 2-0 one-day series victory against Australia in Melbourne on Sunday.

The tourists, who won the opening match on Wednesday by six wickets before Friday’s second tie was declared ‘no result because of rain, ran out winners by 49 runs in the third and final fixture.

After posting 309-7 in the third successive match at the Albert Cricket Ground, the tourists restricted a reshuffled Australian side to 260-9, a total that included a fine innings of 109 from left-handed opening batsman Ryan Hackney.

After skipper Hassaan Khan had won the toss and decided to bat first, Pakistan made a strong start as Zaid and Rohail Nazir (33 off 40 balls, three boundaries) shared a first-wicket partnership of 90 inside the opening 16 overs.

Ammad Alam (39 off 54, two fours and one six) then joined Zaid, who struck 10 fours and four sixes during his 134-ball knock, to add 70 for the second wicket.

Zaid was the third wicket to fall when the18-year-old right-hander was run out by Bradley Hope after having put on 79 with Ali Zaryab.

Ali batted with aggression to strike 56 from only 46 deliveries with the aid of three fours and a six, while Hassaan slammed one six and a four in a 11-ball cameo of 21.

Off-spinner Oliver Davies was the pick of the Australian bowling with figures of two for 40 runs in overs, but paceman Lawrence Nel-Smith and Hope were expensive while conceding more than seven runs an over.

Neil-Smith also bagged two wickets, giving 75 runs from his 10 overs and Hope returned 0-71 in nine overs. Slow left-armer Jack White, however, bowled a tidy 10-over spell of 0-40.

White also batted well upfront with Hackney as the opening pair was involved in a 103-run stand in 21 overs. But when White (39 off 63, four fours) fell to seamer Suleman Shafqat, the hosts further loss three wickets in the space of 44 runs.

Cameron Green, who has played three first-class games for Western Australia as well as List A fixture against the senior Pakistan side in January 2017, hit 47 with his 53-ball innings featuring a brace of sixes and two fours before being dismissed by Hassaan.

Aaron Hardie, who led the home side on Sunday, was the only other batsman to enter double digits with a 16-ball 28 (one six, one fours).

Suleman claimed 353 in 10 overs and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-38 in seven overs.

Summarised scores:

PAKISTAN 309-7 in 50 overs (Zaid Alam 128, Ali Zaryab 56, Ammad Alam 39, Rohail Nazir 33, Hassaan Khan 21; O. Davies 2-40, L. Neil-Smith 2-75); AUSTRALIA 260-9 in 50 overs (R. Hackney 109, C. Green 47, J.R. White 39, A.M. Hardie 28 not out; Suleman Shafqat 3-53, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-38).

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2018