Play was abandoned for the third successive day in the Carib Beer Series match between the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands at the Mindoo Phillip Park.Eddie Nicholls and Lawrence Thomas, the umpires, made the decision to call off proceedings just around tea after it became clear that play would be impossible. Rain fell through the night and during the day again, leaving the already-waterlogged field even wetter with pools of water on the outfield.With only one day remaining and the ground still wet, it is quite likely that this match will be called off without a ball being bowled.
Scorecard Warren McSkimming took 3 for 18 from 14 overs on the first day at Dunedin to peg back Canterbury. But Gary Stead and Neil Broom swept to an unbeaten partnership of 58 for the fifth wicket to restore Canterbury’s innings – they were 163 for 4 at stumps. The medium-pacer McSkimming continued his strong wicket-taking vein – he took nine wickets in the last match against Auckland – striking twice early on to remove the Papps brothers, Tim and Michael, and reduce the visitors to 15 for 2. They were both out caught. Peter Fulton and Shanan Stewart rescued the innings, lifting Canterbury past the hundred-mark before both tumbled in quick succession, each making 44. Fulton was McSkimming’s third victim, while Aaraon Redmond trapped Stewart lbw. Stead and Broom then lifted them from 105 for 4 by adding 58 before the close of play. Scorecard A solid 91 from Alun Evans lifted Northern Districts to 262 on the first day of their State Championship match at the Eden Park Outer Oval. And they dealt Auckland an early blow, removing Bradley-John Watling without scoring to leave the home side 12 for 1 at the close. Evans posted 15 fours and one six on his way to a sparkling 91 from just 100 balls, but the legspinner Brooke Walker trapped him nine short of three figures. Wickets tumbled steadily throughout ND’s innings, but James Marshall stood firm from No. 5, adding 71 before Gareth Shaw ran him out. Scorecard Michael Parlane and Jesse Ryder each struck unbeaten half-centuries to cement a solid day’s batting for Wellington at Palmerston North. Central Districts took just two wickets all day as Wellington set about building a platform on the first day at Fitzherbert Park. Matthew Bell (32 including seven fours) and Luke Woodcock (34) shared an opening stand of 59 before both fell within a short time. The wicketkeeper Mathew Sinclair clung on to edges from each of the openers, Bell being undone by Ewen Thompson’s fast-medium pace, and Regan West claiming Woodcock’s wicket. But Wellington’s third-wicket pairing of Parlane (52 not out) and Ryder (55 not out) strode on from 72 for 2 to post an unbeaten stand of 126 by the close.
Heath Streak, Zimbabwe’s captain, has insisted his side are not in the VB Series to simply make up the numbers. He is aiming to qualify for the finals, despite injury worries over Craig Wishart and Stuart Carlisle.On their one-day tour of Australia so far, Zimbabwe scraped home by eight runs against Australia A last week, but went down to Western Australia by 70 runs at the weekend, and were comfortably beaten by Australia A today.Their preparation hasn’t been helped by Wishart’s knee injury he suffered against WA, and by Carlisle’s blow to the thumb while fielding today. However, Streak is still confident Zimbabwe can make an impact. “We haven’t come here to be a third playing nation, we’ve come here to make the finals,” he told . “We’re going to be all out to win every game.”Streak also had a word to say regarding the Australian team, claiming that they were right to be introducing younger players into an ageing squad. “When you look at the Australian team, you know, they’re not the youngest now,” Streak said. “Some of them are getting a bit long in the tooth.”Someone told me that the Australian bowls team is a younger average age than the cricket team. I don’t know how true that is, but it’s good for them to have a look at the youngsters.”Obviously they’re being looked at and I think it’s a wise decision by the Australian selectors to start blooding some of the youngsters. I was very impressed with a lot of the youngsters. Obviously Shaun Tait had a good outing against us and we are very impressed – he’s got pace.”Zimbabwe’s first game of the VB Series is against Australia on Sunday, January 11, at Sydney. The opening game, between Australia and India, starts on Friday at Melbourne.
I write as Zimbabwe have just started the First Test against India, at Nagpur, inexplicably the same venue where they played just over a year ago. I have not noticed anybody else mentioning the fact that their task is much harder this year than it was at the end of 2000, because last time they did not have Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in the opposition.Kumble missed that last series with a shoulder injury, while Harbhajan had not yet come into the team to work his wonders against Australia. India’s leading spinner then was Sunil Joshi, who was felt to be disappointing by most critics. Zimbabwe did not have the greatest of tests against the Indian spinners then, but they will this time. Again it is realism rather than pessimism to suggest that they will do extremely well to avoid two overwhelming Test defeats.But it is how they lose, in such circumstances, which is important. This rolling over against the opposition from time to time was not a regular phenomenon of Zimbabwe’s Test cricket until recent years; in fact, I would say the first evidence of it came in New Zealand in 1997/98, when the team were mentally shattered after being robbed in their previous Test in Sri Lanka. Until then, even in Sri Lanka, there had always been something good to bring out of a Test – even if the batting had failed, at least our bowlers had been able to keep the opposition fighting for runs.Yet the slaughters we suffer at times nowadays bring us little or nothing to be proud of, and suggest a lack of the same spirit that we had in our earliest Test days, when we had little talent or experience but great hearts. When we first toured Pakistan in 1993/94, for example, with Wasim and Waqar at their peak and only four previous Tests behind us, we feared annihilation. Yet our gallant little team came out of the three Tests with great honour, leading on first innings in two of them, and our limited attack, spearheaded by Eddo Brandes and David Brain, and with Heath Streak in his first series, never allowed the potentially brilliant Pakistani batting line-up dominate them.We hope to see the same sort of spirit in India. The going will be tough, especially with two great spinners bowling in tandem. We hope to see the tough get going, and at the very least make India fight to the very end for victory.*****More sad news for Zimbabwe cricket this week is that Paul Strang has been released from his contract, at his own request, and is now in India to commentate on the current series. It is not clear whether he is in effect retiring from all cricket in Zimbabwe, as his brother Bryan has done. The truth is that he has not been bowling well recently, with his recurring arm injury, and has been overlooked by the selectors for the tours to Sri Lanka and India.It would be very sad if this was to be a total retirement, as he still has much to offer. Even were he never to bowl a ball again, he is still a good enough batsman to be worth his place in a Logan Cup team, where he would make an excellent player-coach, and he has played one-day internationals as a batsman only.Besides both Strangs, Zimbabwe cricket has also this season lost Everton Matambanadzo (married and emigrated to the United States) and Ian Engelbrecht, while it seems Greg Lamb and Andrew Stone have chosen to remain overseas. Some may have reasons other than cricket for leaving the country, but perhaps the administrators here need to look carefully into reasons why players who should still be in their prime, and some with their best yet to come, should choose to walk out of Zimbabwe cricket.*****Defeat to Border B last weekend, in both the three-day and one-day matches. Without Alistair Campbell to hold them together, our Board XI has lost its chance of winning the one-day Bowl competition, as Border B now have an unassailable lead after playing all their six matches. They could still win the three-day competition, with everything hinging on this weekend’s match against KwaZulu-Natal in Durban.The pressure is on – but our players are not renowned for handling pressure well. This is their chance to break the mould. Considering the talent and experience of our team, though, it is difficult to call them anything but perennial under-achievers against the B sides of South Africa provinces that are already weakened by the absence of their Test players.Dave Houghton, who in this issue also talks about the Academy’s Logan Cup victory over Manicaland, presents his argument for withdrawing from South African competitions altogether, so as to strengthen our own cricket at first-class level. Guy Whittall, in a recent interview, believed that Zimbabwean players are simply not competitive enough when compared to South African cricketers.Last weekend saw quite a few records and remarkable events in the two Logan Cup matches, where CFX Academy beat Manicaland and Mashonaland beat Matabeleland. In both matches a young player, Glen Barrett of the Academy and Gavin Ewing of Matabeleland, scored a century on his first-class debut; Greg Strydom of Matabeleland became the second-youngest scorer of a first-class century in Zimbabwean history. In Bulawayo also, Gus Mackay of Mashonaland hit the fastest first-class century recorded in Zimbabwean history off just 45 balls, and we include an interview with him about that innings and the match in general.In our occasional guest column, we have a preview of the India-Zimbabwe Tests by Trishna Bose, of Trans World International.In one way it is good to see Tatenda Taibu playing in the Test in India, as he is a superb keeper and a batsman of great promise. On the other hand, Andy Flower was keeping wicket without any ill effects on his batting and without any desire to relinquish the gloves.To include Taibu means that we either have to play with a batsman or a bowler short; we chose to play only four bowlers. If one of them breaks down, we are going to be in serious trouble. Perhaps a better plan would have been to keep Taibu at home for the Logan Cup and concentrate on improving his batting in first-class cricket so that he can be worth his place in the Test team for his batting as well as his keeping.
UCB Bowl Tables 2001/02as at 21 February 2002Zimbabwe Board XI are in Pool BPool AThree-day P W L D Bat Bowl PtsEastern Province B 6 2 1 3 22.02 21 63.02Free State B 6 2 0 4 22.28 20 62.28Namibia 6 2 3 1 19.10 21 60.10Western Province B 5 2 1 2 18.80 18 56.80Boland B 6 2 0 4 16.60 18 54.60Griqualand West B 5 1 2 2 17.04 18 45.04KZN Inland 6 0 4 2 13.22 13 26.22Points deducted for slow over-rates:NoneBonusOne-day P W L Tied NR Pts Pts NRRFree State B 6 4 1 0 1 3 21 1.52Western Province B 5 4 0 0 1 0 18 0.33Boland B 6 4 2 0 0 0 16 0.19Namibia 6 3 3 0 0 1 13 0.44Eastern Province B 6 3 3 0 0 1 13 -0.40Griqualand West B 5 1 4 0 0 0 4 -0.44KZN Inland 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 -1.26Pool BThree-day P W L D Bat Bowl PtsKwaZulu-Natal B 5 2 0 3 16.36 17 53.36Zimbabwe Board XI 5 2 1 2 16.82 12 48.82Northerns B 5 2 0 3 17.70 11 48.70Border B 6 1 2 3 11.56 19 40.56Easterns B 5 1 1 3 13.08 13 36.08North West B 5 0 1 4 15.28 12 27.28Gauteng B 5 0 3 2 13.68 13 26.68Points deducted for slow over-rates:NoneBonusOne-day P W L Tied NR Pts Pts NRRBorder B 6 4 1 0 1 2 20 0.25Zimbabwe Board XI 5 3 1 0 1 0 14 0.13Northerns B 5 2 1 0 2 1 13 0.77North West B 5 2 2 0 1 0 10 -0.07Easterns B 5 2 3 0 0 1 9 0.08Gauteng B 5 2 3 0 0 1 9 -0.13KwaZulu-Natal B 5 0 4 0 1 0 2 -0.92Supplied by Andrew SamsonOfficial Statistician of the United Cricket Board of South Africa
Glamorgan’s stand-in wicketkeeper Mark Wallace starred with the bat, scoring an unbeaten career-best 80 to help maintain the status quo at the mid-point of their match with Kent at Maidstone.Despite an excellent pitch at The Mote, batsmen on both sides have shown a disposition for tossing away their own wickets with rash or badly judged shots.Yet Wallace, only called into the game on Wednesday lunchtime when Adrian Shaw pulled out with a stomach bug, was a notable exception as he and the Welsh middle order took their side to within 18 of Kent’s first innings total of 304.At 114 for six it looked possible that Glamorgan might even follow-on as a succession of players got themselves out, but Darren Thomas led the fightback with a pugnacious 50 as he and Wallace added 76 in 25 overs for the seventh wicket.Wallace, who had only scored two first-class fifties prior to this match, then teamed up with Steve Watkin to frustrate Kent further in a ninth-wicket partnership of 73 in 21 overs.Watkin finally went for an excellent 38 and last man Simon Jones went soon after, leaving Glamorgan on 286 and 14 shy of their third batting bonus point, while Wallace remained 20 short of his maiden century.Home skipper Matthew Fleming was the pick of their attack with three for 57, though Min Patel took credit for 34 tight overs that bagged two for 72.In the 15 overs through to the close Kent extended that narrow lead to 65 in reaching 47 for one, losing Rob Key leg before when well forward to Darren Thomas for 21.
Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha has said that he has not been contacted to fill the Sri Lanka head coach position. It is understood that SLC is interested in pursuing Hathurusingha but no official approach has been made yet.There were reports in the media earlier this month that SLC preferred him as their first-choice to replace Marvan Atapattu, who resigned on September 3, but Hathurusingha, in his first press conference after returning from holiday in Australia, quashed those speculations. SLC, meanwhile, has appointed Jerome Jayaratne as an interim coach for the upcoming home series against West Indies.”No official contact has been made to me,” Hathurusingha said. “As a professional coach, whenever there is an opportunity for a job sometimes your name comes up. That’s all I have to say.”At this point in time, the most important thing for me is coaching Bangladesh and making sure we win the next series. Coaching your own country is something anyone will like to do, but there has to be a right time.”Hathurusingha has been Bangladesh’s head coach since May 2014 and he has led the team through some major highs, including their first ever 3-0 Test series whitewash, their maiden trip into the World Cup’s knockout stages and historic ODI series wins over Pakistan, India and South Africa. He is also known to have a good relationship with BCB president Nazmul Hassan.”At this stage I am very happy with what I am doing. Not only the players and my staff, even the board has given us a lot of support. We are doing well and everything is falling into place,” he said.Last year, when the BCB was trying to convince Hathurusingha to join the Bangladesh team, he had expressed interest in the Sri Lanka job. But Atapattu had been chosen instead.Given all the success since November 2014, the BCB has made it clear that it has long-term plans with him, which Hathurusingha sees as job security.”It is the confidence [from such plans]. If your boss is saying they are happy with me and have a plan, it gives you a lot of security. I am very thankful,” he said.
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has stated that he is open to discussing a new contract, as the progression at the Etihad Stadium outfit continues.
The Italian coach led the big-spending team to the top of the Premier League after a 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, and with his current deal to run out in July 2013, is eager to extend.
“I have this year and another year on my contract. I don’t want to leave,” he told Sky Sports.
“When the club decides on the contract and, if they are happy and I am happy to stay here, I don’t think we have any problems. It’s important for every manager to work well and get good results to take the team to the top.
“We can improve every year and I’m happy to be here. I have a good relationship with the owner and the chairman of the club, and I think it is important that both sides here are happy.
“We have improved a lot in the last 18 months. The squad has improved. The club is the same, but it’s important we are not stopping here,” he stated.
In comparing the Premier League manager’s role to that of a Serie A coach, he feels he can have more say over how the club is run, and is keen to continue in this capacity.
“In England the manager has more power regarding the team and that is a good thing. I’m probably moving towards that.
“I’m not saying I can have the power of someone like (Sir Alex) Ferguson, but it is important that if one manager stays in one place for three, four, five or six years it’s easier.
“We have to continue to improve because to be a strong team we need three or four years,” he concluded.
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City are flying domestically but need a result at home to Villarreal on Tuesday in the Champions League, as they have only picked up one point from two games in Europe.
A masterful 131 from Jacques Kallis, his 29th Test hundred, put South Africa well in charge of the second Test against a demoralised and embattled New Zealand. Kallis and Hashim Amla, who was unbeaten on 89, shared in a 220-run stand for the third wicket – their second huge partnership in a week.What made it all the more depressing for New Zealand was the speed at which Kallis stole the momentum. Chris Martin had bowled impressively in the morning session, removed an out-of-form Graeme Smith in addition to Herschelle Gibbs. New Zealand’s fielding, so shabby in the first Test at Johannesburg, was a vast improvement today too – led by Lou Vincent, who ought to have run out Amla in the fifth over of the day.But from a rare position of relative strength, New Zealand’s bowlers utterly lost the plot after lunch. Whereas in the morning Martin and Iain O’Brien were pitching it up, their strategy in the afternoon revolved around bouncers. Kallis pounced, creaming fours through (and over) extra cover and pulling leg-side strays through midwicket with quite ominous power. Right from the off, it was clear this wasn’t to be one of his stodgy days.This was Kallis at his cavalier best, a near-flawless innings of technical perfection – and pleasing to the eye, too. The strategy, if they had one, of dropping the ball short was so flawed as to be laughable. Kallis flayed them over point; backward of square; over and through midwicket, not to mention crunching drives through his favoured cover region. He sped to a hundred, his 29th and fifth in seven innings, from 143 balls, while passing 1000 runs for the calendar year. Never has he been in such imperious form.Amla was less commanding but wonderfully effective, and is clearly benefiting from batting so often with a man of Kallis’ experience. The slightest err in line from New Zealand’s bowlers was seized upon, timing the ball beautifully off the back foot – particularly off Martin who, after his long morning spell, was now tiring. Without Jacob Oram (hamstring) and their spearhead, Shane Bond, the onus fell on the gangling O’Brien and Mark Gillespie, the debutant.Gillespie resembles an All Black No. 8 rather than a Black Cap No.10, and was deceptively quick with a heavy ball that bounces off a length. After tea, New Zealand finally ended their baffling bouncer strategy and Gillespie was rewarded for an excellent over to Kallis when he found one to jag back on him, trapping him in front.The most disappointing factor of New Zealand’s day, if not the most crucial, was the hammering Daniel Vettori received. Amla and Kallis took 16 from his first four overs and from there he never settled. Short balls were pulled for six; half-volleys cracked through cover. With Vettori dispatched, New Zealand’s last semblance of control was lost – and not even a defensive over-the-wicket tactic could dam the runs.For the second time in two days bad light came to rescue New Zealand as South Africa went to stumps leading by 84.
A day after refusing to confirm his retirement, Glenn McGrath is expected to announce his departure date at the MCG today. McGrath has called a press conference for 1.10pm local time to “discuss his future plans” and is tipped to follow Shane Warne into Test retirement at his home ground in Sydney.McGrath, the leading Test wicket-taker with 555, has endured a week of speculation that he will walk away from the international game after the World Cup. Regaining the Ashes at Perth on Monday has meant a number of Australia’s senior players have ticked a significant box in their career goals after they were responsible for handing over the urn at The Oval in 2005.Having returned from an 11-month Test lay-off to start the current series, McGrath opened with 6 for 50 at the Gabba but even though he has produced some crucial spells he has been below his best during the series. Aged 36, McGrath has spent 13 years in the Test set-up after making his debut as a stringbean fast man against New Zealand at Perth.He started with match figures of 3 for 142 and was immediately dropped and it wasn’t until he was part of the first victory in the West Indies for 32 years that he became an essential member of the side. The 1994-95 Caribbean campaign was crucial to McGrath as he refused to be intimidated by the home side’s bowlers and fearlessly bounced them despite his limited ability with the bat. Australia sealed the series and McGrath’s reputation continued to be enhanced.Employing a simple action and applying regular check-ups, he was able to nag away with an unrelenting line and pick up kitbags full of wickets with movement off the seam. A shy and calm man off the field, he had no problem firing up when bowling and his behaviour often came under scrutiny. In the West Indies in 2002-03, when he arrived late to the series after his wife Jane was diagnosed with cancer, he had an angry, finger pointing exchange with Ramnaresh Sarwan. He admitted to “carrying on like a pork chop” at times but Australia would not have changed anything about their long-term spearhead.McGrath passed Dennis Lillee’s 355 Test wickets – it was the most famous Australian bowling milestone until Shane Warne overtook it – at The Oval in 2001 and became the country’s first fast man to play 100 Tests when he achieved the mark at Nagpur in 2004. It was a particularly satisfying record as he was out for a year with a serious ankle problem requiring two bouts of surgery. He briefly considered retiring and there were questions over whether he could return to his best. It became a regular theme during his career.Following his long lay-off to care for his family when his wife experienced another relapse of the disease in January, McGrath’s comeback ability was doubted again. He started slowly in the Malaysian tri-series and was part of Australia’s first Champions Trophy victory in India before re-setting his sights on England.
Supporters in the United Kingdom did not understand the McGrath fuss when he first toured England in 1997 and Australia lost the opening Test at Edgbaston. He stepped in quickly to assure them he was a player of the highest quality. In the rain-ruined second Test at Lord’s he was responsible for knocking England over for 77 with his incredible 8 for 38.Michael Atherton was a victim, one of 19 times in his career, and they were his best figures until he produced 8 for 34, the second-best haul by an Australian, against Pakistan at the WACA in 2004-05. When it comes to wickets he has an almost photographic memory and his removal of the opposition’ best players are recalled proudly. Brian Lara was taken 15 times in Tests while Alec Stewart was also high on the list with 10. His comedic 61 against New Zealand two years ago also showed the hours of work he put into his often-ridiculed batting.McGrath passed Courtney Walsh’s world record of 519 wickets during the one-off Super Test against the World XI in 2005-06. It was suitable company for such a wonderful bowler. A country boy from central New South Wales, McGrath has grown from a spindly adolescent who was told he couldn’t bowl into one of the most durable fast men in Test history. His record over 122 matches is amazing and will always be treasured.
A magnificent 209 runs partnership for the fifth wicket, between opener Kamran Sajid and skipper Faisal Iqbal, enabled Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to gain a big first innings lead over Pakistan Customs, on the second day at the United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex Ground No.1.PIA ended on 318 for 5, which means that they are now 119 runs ahead of the Customs’ modest first innings effort of 199 all out, with five wickets still in hand. At one stage early in the morning, Customs looked like turning the tide their own way, as four PIA men were back in the pavilion with only 54 scored. The nightwatchman Umar Gul was gone soon after his team resumed at 46 for 2 and Bazid Khan lasted only four balls before perishing for a duck.However, Kamran and Faisal then took control with an excellent display that saw them both scoring centuries. The 22-year-old Kamran from Lahore achieved his career-best knock of 147, playing in his 50th first-class match. The all-rounder, who represented Pakistan at the 2001-02 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, reached his fifth hundred. It was a patient knock, as he stayed at the crease for just over six and a half hours, faced 313 balls and hit 21 boundaries.Faisal has so far scored an unbeaten 107, in almost five and a quarter hours, off 237 deliveries with the help of 15 fours and a six, his fourth century of the season. Even after Kamran’s departure, Faisal found another able partner in the veteran Mahmood Hamid and the two have added 55 for the unbroken sixth-wicket stand.An interesting match is developing at Sheikhupura as Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) equaled Service Industries’ first innings score, by the close of play on the second day. However, after Service had been bowled out for 191, ZTBL replied with exactly that amount of runs but they still have a wicket standing.At 65 for 6 it appeared that ZTBL would concede a first innings lead. The seam bowler Asim Butt and opening bowler Jamshed Ahmed had them in deep trouble but then came a useful cameo innings of 42 off 68 balls from wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal, the younger brother of Pakistan stumper Kamran Akmal. He helped add 45 for the seventh-wicket stand with Tanvir Ahmed (19). Later on, the tail-enders Kashif Daud (24) and Siddiq Khan (22 not out) continued the reconstruction.Butt has so far captured a career-best 6 for 29 in 18 overs, his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Earlier, after having resumed at 174-6, Service were all out for 191. Mustansar Ali added only one run to end his innings at 56 and Kashif Daud, a 19-year-old quick bowler, finished with figures of 5 for 47 in 14 overs.Struggling Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) turned the tables on Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) by claiming the crucial first innings lead, on the second day at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Sports Complex.Faced with KRL’s under-par first innings total of 220, SNGPL were spun out for a poor 157 yesterday that handed KRL a 63-run advantage. By the close KRL had boosted their overall lead to 101 runs with all wickets intact. SNGPL were undone by the off-spin of Saeed Ajmal, who captured 4 for 25 in 17.4 overs. He was ably supported by 3 for 51 from Alamgir Khan. The only bright spot in the SNGPL innings was a 63-run fourth-wicket partnership between the Test duo of Mohammad Hafeez and the skipper skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (28). Hafeez hit 40 off just 56 balls with five fours and a six.Left-arm paceman Sajid Ali finished with 5 for 46 for SNGPL while wicket-keeper Mohammad Salman completed five catches. Even if KRL gain nine points from this match, they’ll remain faced with the danger of relegation to next season’s Grade-II circuit. They were beaten in all their first three matches and are making their last appearance in the league round.On yet another day curtailed by heavy fog and fading light Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) moved to 216 for 6 against National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground on Thursday. A thick blanket of fog had reduced the first day’s play on Wednesday to a mere 45 deliveries.On the second morning two wickets fell with the score having got to just 23. Adil Nisar began the recovery with a watchful 37 in a little over two and a quarter hours. Then came an invaluable 123-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Aamer Sajjad top-scored with 74 runs off 139 balls with seven boundaries. Mohammad Sami took 2 for 60 in 18 overs and the medium-fast Yasir Arafat bagged 2 for 51, while Kamran Akmal held two catches.