Pollard ton sinks Pakistanis in Lincoln

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top-order woes continued on Tuesday when they fell in the second consecutive match – against New Zealand Board President’s XI’s — in Lincoln.
Having lost their opening tour match even after posting 313 runs, Pakistan were looking for a face-saving win in the second warm-up game before the first of the two One-day Internationals against New Zealand on January 31.
Instead, Pakistan lost the game by one wicket as NZ Board XI’s opener Michael Pollard hit a big hundred to outplay the tourists.
Back-to-back defeats in the tour matches is a bad sign for Pakistan who are hoping to find a winning combination ahead of their high-octane World Cup opener against arch-rivals India in Adelaide on February 15.
Pakistan’s biggest cause for concern must be their top order batters, who have failed to impress much in both outings. Another chink in their armour seems to be their bowling attack which has failed to defend sizeable totals even against second tier teams.
Meanwhile, Pollard’s mammoth 153 off 132 balls was pivotal to New Zealand Board President’s XI’s second win over the touring Pakistanis in Lincoln. Chasing 268, the hosts had to brace against collapses on either side of Pollard’s fall and sneaked through with one wicket and one ball to spare.
Pollard was the only one of the top-five who could make it to double-figures and NZ Board President’s XI and finally received support from No. 6 Shawn Hicks. He contributed 29 off 58 balls to a fifth-wicket partnership of 85 that charted a revival.
Todd Astle, their captain, clubbed five fours in a 24-ball 29 that helped the score past 200 and Pollard, who had progressed to a run-a-ball hundred, shepherded the tail until he was dismissed in the 47th over. His innings included 16 fours and three sixes and had reduced the equation to 24 needed off 22 balls.
Mohammad Irfan and Bilawal Bhatti were the major threats. Both seamers finished with three wickets each and Irfan removed Logan van Beek in the 49th over to leave five to get off the last over with the final batting pair in.
Kyle Jamieson, the 20-year old right-arm seamer, struck the winning four had made a similarly telling impact in the morning when he dismissed Younis Khan and Mohammad Hafeez and reduced Pakistanis to 38 for 3 in the ninth over. The wobble continued until Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal bailed the team out with a 116-run stand for the sixth wicket.
Akmal was bowled Ehsan Adil, who was playing for the NZ Board President’s XI in the practice match, for 77 off 82 balls, with eight fours and three sixes in the 40th over and it appeared to dent Pakistanis’ chances of a final flourish.
Misbah carried on though as he remained unbeaten for 82 off 88 balls, including 11 fours and a six. The visitors managed 72 runs from the last 63 balls, but it wasn’t enough.