Despite a hat-trick by Ruaidhri Smith, a century by Babar Azam (119) guided Pakistan A to a 123-run victory over Glamorgan after the tourists had been put in to bat in their one-day friendly at an overcast and drizzly Spytty Park in Newport.
Today saw the return of county cricket to Newport , and after a morning shower there was a 15 minute delay to play with the match getting underway at 10.45am. The contest gave the Welsh county a chance to blood a number of younger players, and making their 1st XI debuts today are Kiran Carlson the 19 year-old batsman from Cardiff CC who has been in good form for the 2nd XI in recent weeks, as well as Tom Smith, the former Clifton College schoolboy who has played for the MCC Young Cricketers as well as for Glamorgan’s 2nd XI during the past couple of seasons.
Former Gloucestershire wicket-keeper Cameron Herring, who celebrates his birthday today, was behind the stumps at the ground where he first came to prominence as a schoolboy cricketer with the new ball being shared by Ruaidhri Smith and Dewi Penrhyn Jones. The latter struck with his first delivery as, with just a single on the scoreboard, he bowled Sharjeel Khan. With Abdul Rehman Muzamil as his new partner, Fakhar Zaman cover drove both bowlers for three and four respectively.
Abdul Rehman then flicked Penrhyn Jones to fine-leg for four before on-driving Smith to the ropes. Fakhar also cover drove and square-cut Penrhyn Jones as the tourists ended the powerplays on 54/1 from 10 overs. Abdul Rehman also pulled Penrhyn Jones for four but the introduction of Owen Morgan’s left-arm spin ended Fakhar Zaman’s stay at the crease as he drilled the ball to Tom Smith at mid-off.
After a short stoppage for rain, Babar Azam began his innings by punching Murphy square of the wicket for four, before Abdul Rehman also off-drove the left-armer for four. With Morgan in parsimonious mode at the Velodrome End, off-spinner Andrew Salter entered the attack at the Football End and was pulled for four by Babar as the 100 came up, before Abdul Rehman also pulled the spinner for six as he completed his fifty from 67 balls.
Babar then on-drove Morgan for four as the tourists reached 122/2 at the halfway stage, with Abdul Rehman also lofting Morgan for six over long-on. But later in the over, the spinner gained revenge as the batsman sliced a ball into Nick Selman’s hands at point. 132/3 saw Saud Shakil join his captain who on-drove Morgan for four before pulling a full toss from Salter for four as he reached his fifty from 59 balls.
Shakil off-drove Morgan for four but next over he reverse-swept Salter to Tom Smith at short third man as the tourists slipped to 171/4 in the 33rd over. Umar Siddique joined Babar and began with a brace of singles as Penrhyn Jones returned to the attack. Babar lofted the seamer over extra cover for four but a mix-up in calling in Salter’s next over saw Siddique run out by Penrhyn Jones.
With the score on 196/5 Muhammad Nawaz made his way to the middle as Babar cut Penrhyn Jones for four. The flame-haired bowler then delivered four successive wides in his final over before being clipped to fine-leg for four by Babar. Murphy and Smith then returned for the final ten overs with the latter being pulled to the ropes at mid-wicket by Babar. The visiting captain then garnered a series of singles as he completed his century from 100 balls.
Nawaz also biffed Smith over long-off for six before twice flat-batting him to mid-wicket for four followed by a lofted on-drive for six against Murphy as the innings had some late impetus. Babar also square-drove and on-drove Smith for three successive fours before being caught at deep mid-wicket by Carlson for 119. Bilawel Bhatti joined Nawaz for the last couple of overs as Nawaz completed his fifty from 34 deliveries with a rasping cover drive against Murphy, but he then was caught behind by Herring as Smith claimed a hat-trick in his final over having Bilawel Bhatti caught by Tom Smith and Muhammad Ashgar caught behind as the tourists ended on 327/9.
James Kettleborough and Nick Selman opened the batting as Hassan Ali and Muhammad Abbas shared the new ball, with Kettleborough cover-driving Hassan for four to get the scoreboard moving before swatting the same bowler over long-on for four followed by a rasping cover drive. Selman also off-drove Abbas for four but later in the over the bowler rearranged Kettleborough’s stumps. 20/1 then became 20/2 as Selman edged Hassan to first slip.
Tom Smith and Will Bragg duly joined forces as Ashgar’s left-arm spin was employed in the 9th over and the tourist was successful in his opening over as he bowled Smith as the batsman advanced down the wicket. Carlson replaced him as Bragg pulled Abbas for four before the youngster cover drove Ashgar . Bhatti also joined the attack and was off-driven by Bragg.
Carlson then on-drove Ashgar for four, besides nurdling Bhatti for four, but the Pakistani then produced a rising delivery which the youngster edged into the wicket-keeper’s gloves. 68/4 saw Salter join Bragg who again pulled a ball from Bhatti for four before four overthrows by Nawaz in his opening over saw the all-rounder off the mark.
Shortly afterwards, Bragg pulled Bhatti for six over fine-leg’s head before a brace of singles saw him complete his fifty from 55 balls, followed by a rasping pull for four against Hassan Ali who briefly returned at the Football End. But Ashgar replaced him and ended Bragg’s stay in his comeback over as the southpaw was stumped advancing down the wicket.
123/5 saw Murphy make his way to the middle and he soon on-drove Nawaz for four, but the tall all-rounder perished as he attempted to repeat the stroke as Muhammad Abbas pouched the catch. Abbas then returned to bowl and dismissed Smith with a ball that scuttled through and cannoned into the stumps.
Salter then lofted Shakil for a pair of straight sixes before Morgan on-drove Ashgar for four as the eighth wicket pair mounted a late rally. Salter also straight drove Ashgar for six before completing his fifty with another off-drive – his 69th delivery – but Bhatti returned at the Velodrome End and induced an inside edge from Salter’s bat which ricocheted onto the stumps.
Morgan then reverse-swept Baber for four when the visiting captain entered the attack as Herring made his way to the middle. Morgan also clubbed two fours in Baber’s second over before reverse sweeping him into the hands of short third man. The captain then fittingly ended the contest in his next over as he pouched a return catch from Herring as Glamorgan lost by 123 runs.