da bet sport： Rawalpindi, Nov 4: England’s preparation for the three-test seriesagainst Pakistan got off to a confidence-boosting start when theydefeated Patron’s Eleven by an innings and 27 runs with more than asession’s play on the last day still remaining
Samiul Hasan05-Nov-2000Rawalpindi, Nov 4: England’s preparation for the three-test seriesagainst Pakistan got off to a confidence-boosting start when theydefeated Patron’s Eleven by an innings and 27 runs with more than asession’s play on the last day still remaining.The Patron’s Eleven, resuming this morning at 49 for one and requiring196 to make the tourists bat again, were skittled out for 169 some 44minutes before tea. England paceman Matthew Hoggard finished with fourfor 40 and spinners Ashley Giles and Ian Salibsury shared five wicketsbetween them.For the Patron’s Eleven, only left-handed Qaisar Abbas put up anyresistance of while scoring 44. He was dismissed in an unusual fashionwhen his attempted sweep short struck Dominic Cork at short-leg andscooped at mid-wicket where Ian Salisbury took a confortable catch. Hewas a model of concentration and application when he batted flawlesslyfor 15 minutes over two hours during which he received 81 balls. Hisinnings contained four boundaries.Mohammad Shafiq brought respectability to the home team’s score with a30-ball 26 that included three sixes, two off Giles and one offSalisbury, and a boundary.Test reject opener Mohammad Naveed Ashraf played a few delightfulshots before he succumbed to his over adventurous approach. He wascaught at the wicket by Paul Nixon, who finished with four dismissalsbehind the wickets, for 44 that contained seven boundaries.If Hoggard’s outswinger accounted for Naveed, the Yorkshire bowler’sinswinger left another Test discard Mohammad Wasim stranded in frontof the wickets for an easy decision by umpire Kamal Merchant.Hoggard, in the afternoon, added the scalps of Mohammad Shafiq andMunir Ansari to finish with encouraging match haul of nine for 104.His performance must be a great satisfaction for Nasser Hussain whosepacers have struggled in the one-dayers to not only take wickets butalso put brakes on scoring.”My eyes licked after watching the wicket. One of the best wickets Ihave played on. I am sure the selectors will reconsider me for thefirst Test squad,” Hoggard told reporters.Giles and Salibsury shared five wickets between them. Nevertheless,for the second successive time in the match, they couldn’t put upperformances which could be a matter of worry for Pakistan in theTests.Giles bagged three for 38 while bowling flat but Salisbury conceded 51runs from his 19 overs at the return of two wickets. While Salisburypicked up the wicket of Imran Abbas last evening, he added the wicketof wicket-keeper Javed Qadeer who offered no stroke to a straightishdelivery.Giles victims were Qaisar Abbas, Salman Shah who was caught behind andlast-man Mohammad Akram who mistimed a drive to be caught at cover.England now proceed to Peshawar on Sunday where they play NWFPGovernor’s Eleven in the final four-day match from Nov 8.