Misbah hits hundred against Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

Misbah-ul-Haq hit a hundred for Pakistan in their tour match against Guyana yesterday.

The Pakistani Test captain led the way with an undefeated 101, that anchored the visitors to 330 for seven declared in their first innings, after choosing to bat, when play started half-hour late due to rain.

Azhar Ali supported with 57, Mohammad Hafeez scored 52, Umar Gul was not out on 40, Umar Akmal got 26 and Asad Shafiq 21 in a solid Pakistan batting effort.

Leg-spinner Amir Khan, a member of the successful West Indies Under-19 side that just returned from Dubai, was the pick of the Guyana bowlers with three wickets for 88 runs off 26 overs. Off-spinner Zaheer Mohammed took two for 68 from 16 overs.

Guyana, whose batting line-up includes veteran West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, reached 25 without loss in reply when bad light stopped play on the opening day of the two-day match at Bourda Oval.

declaration

Misbah raced from 68 to 84 with a four and two sixes off consecutives deliveries from Mohammed, before slog-sweeping Khan into the Guyana Football Club ground in the next over to reach his milestone from 132 balls, to prompt the declaration.

The 36-year-old Misbah struck seven fours and four sixes in just over three hours of batting and resurrected Pakistan, after they stumbled to 136 for three in the period between lunch and tea.

He added 69 for the fourth wicket with Akmal before Pakistan ran into further trouble, slumping to 244 for seven. But Gul came to the crease and made merry in an unbroken stand of 106 for the eighth wicket.

The match is the only warm-up for the Pakistanis before the first Test against West Indies, starting on Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium.

The visitors are seeking their first Test series victory in the Caribbean.