Date-stamped : 19 Jul97 - 06:18 Rizvi takes revenge on busy Hick By Barrie Fairall at Worcester First day of three: Pakistan A (166-3) trail Worcestershire (265) by 99 runs ANY young leg-spinner just savaged by Graeme Hick might have every excuse to beg to be taken off. Ali Rizvi, though, kept cool and the Pakistani lifted a scalp to treasure yesterday. Hick, leading his county for the first time in a first-class match, was seemingly punishing the tourists for having the temerity to put Worcestershire in. While there were signs that the wicket was of the two-paced variety, Hick sailed merrily to a 48-ball half-century by lifting Rizvi for two sixes and adding a four in a punishing over. Rizvi, however, had the last word, Hick holing out at long- off. Better still, Rizvi, who had taken out Phillip Weston with his first ball of the day and accounted for the top scoring Gavin Haynes, fin- ished with five for 68. The A side then set off in pursuit at a rattling good rate with 23 fours to admire in raising the hundred. There were eight from Ali Naqvi in making 36 and 17 from Salim Elahi, 78 not out at the close. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Elahi marathon grabs headlines By Barrie Fairall at Worcester Second day of three: Worcs (265 & 35-0) trail Pakistan A (489-9 dec) by 189 runs THE headline in the local evening paper said it all here yes- terday. "Elahi holds up County" ran through every edition on the back page, summing up neatly the situation in which Worces- tershire found themselves against a young but patently patient member of the Pakistan A side. Salim Elahi, take a bow. Promoted to opener while his captain, Mohammad Wasim, gave himself time to recover from dislocating a finger, the 20-year-old proceeded to register a maiden first- class hundred. Nor did his appetite for runs cease upon reaching the landmark. Indeed, such was his liking for occupying the crease that 7.5 hours had passed before Worcestershire dislodged him. By then, Elahi had converted his century into the double variety so that there were no cartwheels from David Leatherdale when he pocketed an upper cut on the cover-point boundary. Elahi had put 229 on the board at that stage, his innings laced with 35 fours and two sixes. With his team-mates also enjoying a wicket pitched almost within spitting distance of the pavilion, Elahi also fea- tured in three successive three-figure partnerships. In the first of these for the fourth wicket, Farhai Adil con- tribted a fifty. Javaid Qadeer then followed along with 40 and when Wasim appeared, he made 64. Worcestershire, meanwhile, had their own centurion, Maneer Mirza`s figures reading three of 136 when the tourists declared with a lead of 224. At this point in late afternoon the evening paper`s final edi- tion time had passed, the name of Elahi undisturbed and Worces- tershire`s cricketers left hoping that a more familiar name might grab today`s headlines. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Akhtar the actor is upstaged By Barrie Fairall at Worcester Worcs (265 & 338-4) drew with Pakistan A (489-9 dec) GRAEME HICK`S 93rd first-class century left its mark on the young Pakistanis and one in particular. The faster Shoaib Akhtar bowled, the harder Hick hit him and the punishment did not end there as the match wound down to a draw at New Road yes- terday. Hick had just cut loose with successive boundaries to bring up the hundred when the suffering fast bowler unwisely stuck out his left foot to prevent another full-blooded blow from ruining his figures still further. It was a painful lesson, which apparently Akhtar did not quite grasp. As it was, he made a meal out of the physio`s attention before limping off and gave the impression that he might never walk properly again. Akhtar the actor? Well, he made a miraculous recovery and re- turned to the attack after lunch, whereupon Hick pulled him to leg to bring up his fifty before another straight drive again found the Akhtar boot. Akhtar, meanwhile, scored twice in the retired hurt column, striking Philip Weston on the instep with a yorker and later sending David Leatherdale to hospital to have stitches in both lips. There was no shifting Hick, however, as he powered Worcester- shire towards safety in his temporary role as captain. There was one escape on 94 when he was dropped at deep extra cover but otherwise this was bully-boy stuff. Supported well by Gavin Haynes, the third-wicket partnership was worth 171 as the Pakistanis saw the chance of a first first-class win on this tour slip away. Hick made absolutely sure, making 144 in 3.75 hours and hitting 20 fours and five sixes before Akhtar and company saw the back of him. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)