KARACHI, March 7:
Abdul Razzak's devastating opening spell went down the drain as Pakistan A allowed India A to crawl back to a respectable position in the fourth and final cricket 'Test' at the National Stadium here today.
Razzak captured three wickets in nine balls, including two on successive balls, to reduce India A from 50 for one to 62 for five. But the absence of a top class spinner in the team coupled with some wayward bowling helped India A stage a fightback to end the opening dayat 230 for seven.
Razzak bowled with hostility, fire and venom to finish with three for 49 from 15 overs. He received excellent support from Aqib Javed and Jaffar Nazir who bowled flat out to share three wickets between them.
Off-spinner Murtuza Hussain, picked for the 'Test' because of several left-handers India 'A' have in their XI, bowled economically but never posed a serious threat to the tourists to finish with figures of 23-9-43-1.
The man responsible for snatching the initiative back from the home side and to help India A share honours with Pakistan A was wicketkeeper Mannava Prasad who batted with great determination and authority to score an undefeated 58.
Prasad showed a lot of patience too in occupying the crease for little over six hours during which he faced 244 balls. Not that he only blocked one end, but he also played strokes to lace his innings with seven elegant boundaries.
Prasad played his role as a senior partner brilliantly when he was involved in two invaluable partnerships that may go a long way in helping the visitors achieve a respectable draw.
For the sixth wicket, Prasad, together with Sanjay Raul, put on 83 runs in 139 minutes. The stand was frustrating for the home team as Raul lived dangerously and looked like getting out anytime, but it brought the visitors right back in the game.
Raul was finally dismissed for a useful if not graceful 42 after facing 88 balls during which he hit five boundaries.
After the departure of Raul at 145 for six, Prasad found another dependable partner in Sairaj Bahutule with whom he added 84 runs in 139 minutes.
The stand was broken with the second new ball just before stumps when the Indian allrounder dragged Aqib Javed's delivery onto his stumps. Bahutule, however, did his job with perfection and played some exquisite shots during his 118-ball 43 that yielded seven boundaries.
Earlier, Aqib Javed's decision to field first paid off when he and his bowlers left India A in a precarious position.
It appeared a well-planned bowling display by the Pakistanis who bowled a barrage of short-pitched deliveries and made the batsmen hop around. In that process, a few deliveries also struck the batsmen, several whiskered past their noses while a few dropped in no man's land off batsmen's willow.
Pakistan didn't have to wait long for their first success when Jaffar Nazir, a promising pacer, got Wasim Jaffar caught at second slip while trying to play an adventurous cover-drive.
Skipper Gagan Khoda's uncomfortable stay at the wicket ended when he became first of Abdul Razzak's victims.
In the following over, Jatin Paranjpe failed to avoid Aqib Javed's bouncer and was caught by Salim Elahi close-in. His dismissal triggered a mini collapse.
Abbas Ali attempted a hook too early in his innings off Razzak and paid the price when he was caught by Jaffar Nazir at deep fine-leg.
Rohan Gavaskar went for a first-ball duck when he played onto his stumps to disappoint his fans - mostly girls who made desperate attempts to get a glimpse of him.
Day 2: Pakistan 'A' crumble to the pace of Agarkar
KARACHI, March 8:
India 'A' strike bowler Ajit Agarkar continued his demolition of the Pakistan 'A' batsmen as the tourists monopolised the second day's honours in the fourth and last cricket 'Test'.
On the National Stadium track which didn't really have anything substantial for the pacers, it was Agarkar's sheer hard work that fetched him six wickets for 69 runs from 22 overs under the blazing sun.
His magnificent performance left Pakistan 'A' struggling at 208 for nine. Earlier in the morning, the visitors added 30 runs to their overnight score of 230 to be all out for 260 after batting for 43 minutes on Sunday.
Pakistan's blushes were saved by an entertaining 42 by opener Salim Elahi and a watchful innings by Hasan Raza who survived a first-ball lbw appeal to score 48 off 108 balls with seven hits to the fence.
Agarkar has been an enigma for the Pakistan 'A' batsmen in this series. The 20-year-old pacer from Mumbai captured five for 34 in Pakistan 'A''s 112 at Rawalpindi and then bagged two for 41 in the home team's 69 for three in the two rain-hit 'Tests'. In the Peshawar three-dayer, he claimed six for 75.
He now has a tally of 18 wickets conceding 219 runs which by all means is an exceptional and appreciable tally.
``You will see this boy playing for India very soon, may be against Australia in the one-dayers,'' Indian coach Krish Srikkant exclaimed.
``He is quite impressive. He is quick and bowls straight. He should be a good future prospect for India,'' Pakistan captain Aqib Javed said.
Agarkar bowled impressively in the four spells but the hallmark of his bowling was his accuracy which became even more effective when he swung the red cherry in the air and moved it off the wicket.
Not only Agarkar used the ball intelligently, he kept thinking at all times and the biggest example of it was his wicket of Akhtar Sarfaraz who fell to the oldest trick in cricket books - caught at deep square-leg off a bouncer. Sarfaraz, after hitting two boundaries off short-pitched deliveries, finally fell to the trap when he was well caught by Rohan Gavaskar.
For the sixth wicket, he should be thankful to Abbas Ali who brought off a spectacular reflex action catch at forward-short-leg after Murtuza Husain had struck the ball from the middle of the bat.
Agarkar's first four wickets, that came in a space of 41 balls conceding 19 runs, were mainly due to his policy of attacking the three sticks.
Agarkar started the demolition work when he had Shahid Afridi caught in the first slip off a beautiful outswinger. Afridi's not very comfortable 30-ball 24 included three fours. Bayazid Khan played just four balls for a duck.
Agarkar's third success was a fortunate one when he had Basit Ali trapped in front of the wickets though the ball appeared to have hit high on the roll of the batsman. Ali struck six exquisite boundaries three on each side of the wicket - in his 26.
Salim Elahi, who batted with controlled aggression, was also adjudged lbw to Agarkar but not before he had hit six boundaries in his 42 that consumed 135 balls.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan 'A' captain Aqib Javed added two more wickets to his overnight's two to finish with four for 70 from 26.1 overs.
Fast improving Abdul Razzak added the scalp of Agarkar to finish with four for 61.
Day 3: ``Test'' and series hang in the balance
KARACHI, March 9:
The fourth and final unofficial cricket 'Test' between India A and Pakistan A hung in the balance after the penultimate day's play at the National Stadium here on Monday.
The home team, after conceding a 48-run first innings lead to the visitors, fought back gallantly to dismiss the opposition for 180. That left Pakistan A a victory target of 229 and when bad light forced an early closure 6.5 overs from the finale, the hosts had reached eight for the loss of one wicket.
The positive outcome of the 'Test' would also mean that the series, which is presently locked at nil-nil after the three earlier games were ruined by rain, concludes in favour of the victors. The meteorological office has forecast more rains in the country this week and at the time of filing this report, dark clouds were hoovering in the sky. Yet, it is to be seen if rains would have the final say in the decision of this game.
However, a late evening incident, involving Indian spinner Noel David, has left a bad taste in the mouth after three competitive days of cricket. David, allegedly, used his spikes to roughen up the wicket at the good length spot at the pavilion end, the moment he was the last batsman out some 45 minutes before stumps.
The Pakistan A players lodged a very strong protest to the umpires who later admitted that spikes had been used but were unsure which of the two batsmen (David or Madhukar) committed the unsporting act.
Pakistan A players, however, stressed that it was David.
``I can't take a decision until the umpires (Salim Badar and M Siddique Khan) officially inform me,'' Match Referee Iqbal Sikandar, who will fine Pakistan A five percent of their daily allowance for bowling three overs short, stated.
One is not sure if that rough spot really had anything to do with the dismissal of Salim Elahi, who received a nasty bounce to be caught at gully, but that portion is tipped to play a key role in the eventual outcome of the game.
Reverting to the proceedings of the day's play, it was the experience of Aqib Javed and craftsmanship of off-spinner Murtuza Husain which staged a turnaround for Pakistan in the game as it looked like getting out of hand when the hosts were bowled out for 212 early in the morning while replying to India's 260.
Aqib used his vast international experience by exposing the Indian batsmen's weakness when confronted with short-pitched deliveries while Murtuza tossed the ball up more in the later stages of the innings.
Aqib grabbed the top three Indian batsmen within the space of 10 balls to finish with three for 32 while Murtuza Husain snapped up the last three wickets in a space of six balls to finish with four for 52 from 28.1 overs.
Pakistan might have been able to dismiss the tourists much earlier had two catches not been spilled when the visitors were reeling at 119 for six and then 125 for six. India vice-captain Sairaj Bahutale was the beneficiary on both the occasions. He was first dropped by wicketkeeper Humayun Farhat off Murtuza Husain. In the following over, Husain showed a pair of greasy palms and failed to hold on to a simple catch at gully off Abdul Razzak. Bahutale was on three at both the times.
India A, who once again suffered a top order collapse against quality fast bowling, were rescued by a defiant Mannava Prasad, who followed up his 64 with a face-saving 54. His 191-ball innings included three hits to the fence.
Rohan Gavaskar showed glimpses of his legendary father, Sunil, while scoring an impressive 42 that was studded with seven sweetly timed boundaries. Gavaskar occupied the crease for 176 minutes and faced 115 balls.
Prasad and Gavaskar shared in a 68-run fifth partnership that lifted India A to 110 for five from 42 for four.
Prasad was also involved in a 64-run seventh wicket stand with Sairaj Bahutule (27).
Day 5: India 'A' clinch 'Test', series by 58 runs
KARACHI, March 10:
Pakistan 'A' failed to break the jinx at the National Stadium when they suffered a crushing 58 runs defeat at the hands of India 'A' in the fourth and final unofficial cricket 'Test' here on Tuesday.
Chasing 229 for victory and resuming this morning at eight for one, Pakistan were bundled out for 170 shortly before tea on the last day of the four-day game.
Except for Shahid Afridi, who slammed an authoritative 65, no other batsmen could last long against the pace and spin combination of Ajit Agarkar and Sairaj Bahutule.
Agarkar followed up his first innings performance of six for 72 with three for 62 to finish with a match-haul of nine for 134. Bahutule, who kept the hosts completely at bay, captured four wickets for 26 after grabbing three wickets for 33 in the first innings.
Bahutule's useful contributions of 43 and 27 with the willow helped him win the Man-of-the-Match award.
The victory also meant a 1-0 series win for India 'A' after the earlier three 'Tests' were washed out. Nine years ago, India Under-19 also beat their counterparts at the same venue and went on to clinch the series 1-0.
Last season, Allan Border's Australia Under-19 embarrassed Pakistan Under-19 by five wickets at the same venue though the home team levelled the series at Lahore.
The National Stadium, a happy hunting ground for the senior string which has never lost a Test here, is fast becoming a scourge for the home side. This is their third successive defeat here since 1988-89.
But as far as this match is concerned, Pakistan 'A' batsmen let the team down though the bowlers bowled splendidly. Considering the batting line which comprised five players who have played at the highest level, it was a disgusting performance.
They lacked confidence, determination and failed to apply themselves exactly in the same fashion as their seniors did it at Port Elizabeth. It was a completely purposeless effort by the stroke-makers.
On the contrary, the Indian players showed more maturity and professionalism by sticking to their task to excel in crunch situations that came in this 'Test'.
The Indians also deserve appreciation for reading the wicket better than the home team. They went in with two pacers and two spinners while the Pakistanis fielded three pacers and a spinner, the latter being least effective. The hosts might now be wondering what would have happened if they had played a wrist spinner.
Pakistan's start on the final morning was an impressive one when Shahid Afridi played a couple of fine drives. But the disaster started when nightwatchman Murtuza Husain departed, falling to Madhukar in the slips.
Basit Ali received a trademark and deadly outswinger from Agarkar and ended up edging the ball to Paranjape in the first slip.
Akhtar Sarfaraz, who is flying to Zimbabwe to join the national team, made a joke of himself when he ducked a good length ball to see his bails being dislodged.
Bayazid Khan was batting impressively and handsomely when he was declared caught behind by Siddiq Khan. Bayazid's body language clearly showed that he was very upset with the decision.
The dismissal of Bayazid, who scored a 44-ball 18 in 41 minutes, was the final nail in home team's coffins. Hasan Raza fought briefly but started to run short of partners before being the eight man out.
Pakistan were in a more demoralising position when they were 147 for nine from 68 for two. But a rapid 19 with four fours by Aqib Javed helped Pakistan narrow the defeat margin.