Date-stamped : 24 Jul96 - 02:17 Tetley's Challenge Series Kent v Pakistanis Canterbury 20,21,22 July 1996 ====> REPORT (Day 1, 20 Jul 1996) (Electronic Telegraph, UK) Ealham steps in to save Kent Doug Ibbotson at Canterbury Kent v Pakistanis A PRE-LUNCH public announcement that therapeutic massage was available at #20 a twitch - aromatherapy extra - seemed entirely in keeping with the state of the game at the St Lawrence ground. Unfortunately for the hosts, the Pakistanis then began to play properly. What had been a jolly romp against sit-up-and-beg seam bowling, much appreciated by such happy hookers as Matthew Fleming, David Fulton and Trevor Ward, was halted by the simultaneous applica- tion of contrasting weapons: the left-arm arrows of Wasim Akram and the mesmeric menace of off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq. The transformation of Kent from a regal, almost arrogant, 167-2 to a shambling 194-7 said much for the resolve of the Pakistan captain who, having switched from the pavilion to the Nackington Road end, swept aside Graham Cowdrey, Nigel Llong and Steven Marsh within 32 balls at a cost of 10 runs. Given a similarly daunting three-wicket contribution from the 19-year-old Saqlain, whose initial vagaries of length vanished with growing confidence, the memory of Kent`s rousing overture was rapidly becoming obscured. Enter the bold Mark Ealham, unarguably this season Kent`s favour- ite son of a favourite father, to pen a tale for the pages of Boy`s Own Paper. England`s incumbent Test all-round hero had been at the crease for only a dozen overs as the collapse gathered pace yet, in the company of such rearguard troops as Martin McCague and Dean Headley, he gloriously rallied the cause. His half-century, achieved off 81 balls, featured a brace of thunderous sixes off the doggedly unruffled Saqlain and six fours, each dispatched from the bat with a rich resonance proclaiming a player in prime form. Together with Headley, Ealham added 63 for the eighth wicket and went on to make 57 before flashing at Shahid Nazir (3-32) as the innings closed at 262. All of which helped to restore the atmosphere in which the day began. Kent, having won the toss, complimented themselves on electing to bat on a pitch of no great pace and in conditions incapable of making a balloon drift. Or so it seemed as the tourists trundled down a succession of short-pitched balls that invited the hook and the batsmen duly obliged. Fleming fell disappointingly for 26, lbw pushing at a ball from Wasim of fuller length but Fulton pressed on handsomely with a 73-ball half-century before holing out at deepish mid-off with a half-blooded drive. Ward`s departure, immediately before lunch - having hit 11 boundaries in a rumbustuous half-century - was an even greater anticlimax as he prodded at Saqlain and was bowled by a ball that appeared to hustle through. What followed invoked mixed feelings among the sun-drenched Kent faithful. Whatever else, it lacked nothing in entertainment. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) ====> REPORT (Day 2, 21 Jul 1996) (Electronic Telegraph, UK) Kent`s hopes of dominance frustrated By Doug Ibbotson at Canterbury Second day of three: Pakistanis (194) need 269 runs to bt Kent (262 & 200) THE consensus at the St Lawrence ground yesterday, supported by a knowledgeable gallery of spectators, was that something compel- ling was about to happen. It seldom did. However, the match is now finely balanced and will surely compen- sate for frustrated expectations like that which supposed that Kent, having reduced the tourists to 74 for five on Saturday, would dismiss them cheaply and add substantially to their first innings 262. That scenario failed to reach centre stage when the Pakistanis` remaining five wickets raised the total to a quietly respectable 194, just 68 behind Kent`s total. Even so there was still hope of a bravura display of the Royal Fireworks from Matthew Fleming, David Ward, Graham Cowdrey or Mark Ealham. Again the cherished expectation was unfulfilled. Fleming`s innings was not untypical of his habitual approach nor, sadly, of his departures. Three of 14 balls were despatched to the boundary, two through the covers and the other hoicked to long on. The 15th, from Ata-ur-Rehman trapped him lbw in mid thrust. Ward had scarcely made nodding acquaintance with the crease when Wasim Akram wrapped him fatefully on the pads and Cowdrey, showing some promise with 22, departed in like manner to a ball from Shahid Nazir that appeared to keep low. David Fulton, meanwhile, had illuminated a steadfast innings with successive midwicket boundaries off Wasim before the same bowler, during a splendidly assertive spell, comprehensively disturbed the stumps. Wasim`s next victim was Steve Marsh (28), unluckily pulling the ball on to his stumps, and at 179 for eight the Kent canter was almost over. It ended when off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq claimed the wicket of Simon Willis, his fourth of the innings. Today`s developments are unlikely to be heavily influenced by conditions. The pitch remains flat, the atmosphere dry and still. All will depend on individual and cor porate skills. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) ====> REPORT (Day 2, 21 Jul 1996) (Rediff On The NeT, India) Saqlain Mushtaq strikes form for Pakistan By Our Correspondent With the first Test against England at Lord`s fast approach- ing, Pakistan has cause for both gloom and glee. Gloom, because against Kent as against Warwickshire, the Pakistan batsmen played without the least sign of application, collaps- ing for a paltry 194 in reply to Kent`s first innings score of 262. And even this total was made possible only thanks to wicketkeeper Rashid Latif, who top scored with 61 where more highly rated players of the order of Aamir Sohail, Inzamam ul Haq and Ijaz Ahmed lost their wickets attempting strokes they would not have essayed even in the nets. And glee, because its bowlers appear to be striking fitness, and peak form, just ahead of the first Test. On Monday, Pakistan`s physiotherapist Dan Kiesel indicated that Waqar Younis was fit and ready to spearhead the attack. "Waqar has been taking full part in training," said Kiesel. "He was left out of the game against Kent merely as a precaution." Waqar, it will be remembered, had bowled just three overs in the previous tour game, against Warwicks, before limping off with an injured hamstring. Meanwhile Wasim Akram, who had missed the last two tour games with a back strain and hay fever, returned to lead the side against Kent. And with the home county on 167 for two on the first day, Akram took the ball for a blistering spell of pace and swing that, in the course of six almost unplayable overs, fetched him three wickets for just ten runs. To this, add the fact that ace leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, who is sitting out this match, has already picked up 20 wickets in just three tour games. And that over the weekend, against Kent, 19-year-old off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq (above) came good with four for 63 in the Kent second innings, to gain match fig- ures of seven for 122 and indicate that when he teams with Mushtaq Ahmed for the Tests, Pakistan will have a spin combo no less devastating than its opening attack. At close of play on day two, the situation read thus: Kent, after scoring 262 in the first innings, had dismissed Pakistan for 194, a lead of 68. In its second innings, Kent batsmen failed to counter the pace of Akram and the wiles of Saqlain, and folded up for 200, giving Pakistan a target of 269 for a win, with one day remaining. At the time of writing this, the tourists had scored 96 for the loss of one wicket at lunch, and appear to be on course for their second tour win. This, incidentally, is the last tour game before Pakistan goes to Lord`s for the first Cornhill Test versus England. Source :: Rediff On The NeT (http://www.rediff.co.in) ====> REPORT (Day 3, 22 Jul 1996) (Electronic Telegraph, UK) Ijaz and his partner floor Kent during merry dance By Doug Ibbotson at Canterbury Pakistanis (194 & 269-2) bt Kent (262 & 200) by 8 wkts KENT, who embarked on this match in fine fettle and with realis- tic hopes of a bonus from the Tetley kitty, declined with scarce- ly a whimper, let alone a bang, yesterday at the St Lawrence Ground - beaten by eight wickets shortly after tea. On a pitch that offered negligible help either to seam or spin, a second-wicket partnership of 186 between Ijaz Ahmed, undefeated with 136, and Shadab Kabir (84) rolled the Pakistan tourists to comprehensive and timely victory. An opening stand of 54 from the day`s first 15 overs, promoted chiefly by the fluent Aamir Sohail and terminated only by a su- perb diving catch in the deep, proved all too prophetic for the county. Martin McCague bowled with enthusiasm, Dean Headley with intelli- gent variation, and Mark Ealham with his customary astringency. But conditions and the tourists` resolution were against them. The measure of supremacy was reflected throughout the day in the Pakistanis` determination to gather the required runs at a tempo of their own choosing. It was, to borrow from the foxtrot manual of ballroom dancing, an immaculate quick-quick-slow. The quick relied on nifty footwork, the slow less admirably on a padded leg or a cushioned backside thrust at the ball of fuller length from Min Patel. Chief exponent of this mixed method was Ijaz, whose aggres- sive driving contributed 13 fours and three sixes to a 138-ball century, but very few singles. These were such a rarity that a typical over to the No 3 would produce four knee nudges, an immaculate forward defensive stroke and a blistering thump to midwicket. Shadab, his 19-year-old partner, was less inclined to nudge yet marginally slower. Even so, there was speculation that were Saeed Anwar to fail a late medical check, the young Kara- chi batsman may be favourably considered for Thursday`s Test at Lord`s. In the event, the tea dance was almost over when confirmation of Saeed`s fitness was relayed to the Pakistani camp. Nevertheless, the slim and lissom Shadab is clearly des- tined for a long and successful international career. Part-time bowler Graham Cowdrey, though doubtless harbouring a measure of sympathy, will nevertheless reflect with some glee on Shadab`s dismissal to his second ball immediately after tea. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) ====> REPORT (Day 3, 22 Jul 1996) (Rediff On The NeT, India) Ijaz ton powers Pak win over Kent By Our Correspondent Pakistan, with three batting collapses in the last three in- nings on tour, badly needed a strong showing from its batsmen if it was to go into Thursday`s first Cornhill Test versus England with a measure of confidence. And Ijaz Ahmed provided just that, with a sparkling 136 not out that spearheaded the tourists to an eight-wicket win over Kent in the final warm-up game before the first Test. For a team that had managed only 196 in its first innings here at Canterbury, getting 269 in the second outing was a tough ask, especially given that they had only one day to get the runs in, and could not afford a neck or nothing assault and the conse- quent risk of another defeat, such as the one the Pakistanis suffered against Warwickshire just last week. But Ijaz, whose form has been suspect thus far on this tour, put the issue beyond doubt with a scintillant display of stroke- making that gave the visitors a win just after tea time, with eight second innings wickets and more than 35 overs still remain- ing in the match. Batting on one of the hottest days of the year thus far, Ijaz struck 19 fours and four sixes in his maiden hundred on tour, get- ting his runs off just 138 balls in 170 minutes. The Pak number three also shared a second-wicket stand of 186 with exciting teenage prospect Shadab Kabir, who chipped in with a confident 84 before falling to Graham Cowdrey when the target was within touching distance. Asif Mujtaba came out at this stage, and helped Ijaz guide the tourists home to their second county win in the Tetley Challenge series. Earlier, left- handed opener Aamir Sohail had signalled Pakistan`s intentions with a smashing 30 in an opening stand of 54 with Kabir. Skipper Wasim Akram, back after a muscle strain and a bout of hay fever, was a happy man - and why not? In a blistering spell in the Kent first innings, Akram had demonstrated that his fitness was all it should be. Saqlain Mushtaq, with seven wickets in the match, had already proved that he could team with leg- spinner Mushtaq Ahmed to form a lethal spin combo. And now his batting was coming good, too, and just in the nick of time. ``I was very pleased with the performance of the team," said Akram. "We came back in the second innings, and it was a very good win.`` Kabir`s effortless showing must have provided some additional re- lief to the Pak camp, worried as it is about the continuing ail- ment of in-form opener Saeed Anwar. The left-handed opener who has already hammered three centuries on this tour including one in this game was hospitalised for tests following a stomach ail- ment. The tests have proved inconclusive thus far. ``He will have further tests on Tuesday. The doctors say it`s nothing serious, we hope he will be able to take his place in the side for the first Test," the Pak skipper said. If Anwar is ruled out, Kabir could get his cap, and an oppor- tunity to underline his growing repute as one of the most promis- ing youngsters in international cricket. Interestingly, if Kabir does play at Lord`s, then he will be able in a position to try and emulate another promising newcomer, India`s Saurav Ganguly, who made a debut hundred at the venue. Meanwhile, Akram sounded less than sure about the fitness of his pace twin, Waqar Younis who has been carrying a torn ham- string. ``He`ll have a full work-out in the nets at Lord`s on Wednes- day," Akram said. ``If there is the slightest doubt, we we won`t risk him, we have Mohammed Akram and Shahid Nazir on stand-by.`` Pak physiotherapist Dan Kiesel, however, indicated that Younis had been kept out of the Kent fixture purely as a precau- tion, in order to give him some rest ahead of the first Test which is now just a couple of days away. Meanwhile, the win against Kent assured Pakistan a further 2,500 pounds from food and beverages giant Tetley`s. The Tetley Challenge series, which features games between touring Test teams and English counties, has on offer a purse of 7,500 pounds for any county side that beats a touring team, and 2,500 pounds to the tourists for a win. Thus far, Pakistan have won two and lost one of the tour games. The last time they toured England, in 1992, Pakistan won nine out of the scheduled 12 fixtures in the series, and pock- eted 50,000 pounds including a bonus. Source :: Rediff On The NeT (http://www.rediff.co.in) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)