FLORENCE HALL (Jamaica): Kieran Powell celebrated his recall to the West Indies Test squad with his second half-century of this match, as the WICB President’s XI and Pakistan drew their tour game here on Monday.
Powell followed up his first-innings score of 58 with unbeaten on 84, as the President’s XI reached 152-2 in their second innings when stumps were drawn about half-hour after tea on the final day of the three-day contest at the Trelawny Multiplex.
His batting followed purposeful bowling from the home team’s attack, led by leg-spinner Damion Jacobs with 4-45 from 16 overs, to dismiss Pakistan for 192, replying to their opponents’ first innings total of 419.
Left-arm fast-medium bowler Raymon Reifer ended with 2-21 from 13 overs and Kemar Roach grabbed 2-71 from 18 overs, as the Pakistanis, batting one short due to a groin injury to paceman Hasan Ali, were dismissed about 40 minutes before the scheduled lunch interval with opener Ahmed Shehzad leading the way with 55 and Sarfraz Ahmed hitting a rapid-fire 50.
The left-handed Powell shared an opening stand of 75 with Kyle Hope.
He gave the Pakistanis another glimpse of what they can expect if he is on song and is selected in the final XI for the historic 50th Test at Sabina Park, starting on Friday, mixing solid defence with an enterprising array of strokes.
Hope too, batted solidly for 23 before he played forward to left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar and edged to wicket-keeper.
Hetmyer too, batting with the knowledge that he has been selected for the first Test, played his strokes before he was caught at short leg for 22 off Yasir on the stroke of the tea.
After the break, Powell and Shamarh Brooks, the President’s XI, indulged themselves before the final act.
Earlier, the President’s XI bowlers made inroads into the Pakistani batting after the visitors resumed from their overnight total of 129-4.
Roach, looking to give regional selector Eldine Baptiste a sign that he has fully recovered from the injuries and poor form that have beset him over the last two years, bowled with fire and made the breakthrough when he had Asad Shafiq caught behind for 23.
This proved to be a golden period for the President’s XI, as three wickets fell for one run from 10 balls to leave the Pakistanis 132-7 before Sarfraz took matters into his hands and started to play his shots, knowing that Hasan would be unable to any further part in the game.
Scoreboard
WICB PRESIDENT’S XI (1st Innings) 419 (V.A. Singh 135 not out, S.O. Hetmyer 97, K.O.A. Powell 58, R.A. Reifer 45; Mohammad Amir 3-66).
PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 129-4):
Shan Masood c Cornwall b Reifer 14
Ahmed Shehzad c Cornwall b Jacobs 55
Azhar Ali c Hamilton b Joseph 4
Younis Khan c Hamilton b Reifer 7
Misbah-ul-Haq c Hetmyer b Jacobs 8
Asad Shafiq c Hamilton b Roach 23
Sarfraz Ahmed b Jacobs 50
Mohammad Amir c Brooks b Roach 0
Yasir Shah lbw b Jacobs 8
Mohammad Asghar not out 1
Hasan Ali absent injured –
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, W-1, NB-14) 22
TOTAL (all out, 68 overs) 192
FALL OF WKTS: 1-32, 2-43, 3-64, 4-84, 5-131, 6-131, 7-132, 8-159, 9-192
BOWLING: Roach 18-4-71-2 (10nb); Joseph 9-2-24-1 (3nb, 1w); Reifer 13-6-21-2; Cornwall 12-4-24-0 (1nb); Jacobs 16-3-45-4.
WICB PRESIDENT’S XI (2nd Innings):
K.A. Hope c Sarfraz b Asghar 23
K.O.A. Powell not out 84
S.O. Hetmyer c Azhar b Yasir 22
S.S.J. Brooks not out 21
EXTRAS (LB-1, NB-1) 2
TOTAL (for two wkts, 42 overs) 152
FALL OF WKTS: 1-75, 2-110.
BOWLING: Mohammad Amir 9-3-26-0 (1nb); Mohammad Asghar 13-0-41-1; Yasir Shah 16-2-60-1; Shan Masood 4-0-24-0.
RESULT: Match drawn.
UMPIRES: G.O. Brathwaite and J.S. Wilson.
MATCH REFEREE: D.O. Hayles.