Monday 19th December, 2011 15 Dress rehearsal Pakistan 87 for one on day two for Dhoni and co. series 1-0 after the visitors beat Bangladesh by an innings and 184 before real action runs in the first Test in CANBERRA: The Indians are in the subsequent Perth Test. Chittagong. likely to field their first team when All eyes will also be on Zaheer they take on Cricket Australia Khan who is back in the team after Chairman’s XI in their second and proving his match-fitness in two final warm-up game on Monday Ranji Trophy games against SCOREBOARD with the focus on the fitness of Orissa and Saurashtra. It is partic- their fast bowlers ahead of the ularly to counter Zaheer’s swing four-match Test series, starting that Australians have ordered a Bangladesh 1st Innings December 26. batting camp. Tamim Iqbal c Cheema b Gul 14 With the injury scare to Ishant India’s pace spearhead is back M. Nazimuddin lbw b Cheema 0 Sharma, who is likely to be rested in the ranks pulling out midway Shahriar Nafees c A. Akmal b Gul 97 on Monday,the focus will be on through the first day of the first Mahmudullah b Cheema 0 Zaheer Khan - also returning from Test against England at the Lord’s N. Hossain c A. Akmal b Cheema 7 injury after playing just a couple of back in July. Since then, he has Shakib Al Hasan run out 144 a Ranji matches. gone through an ankle surgery and M. Rahim c A. Akmal b Gul 40 While the bone of contention a rehabilitation programme. Elias Sunny lbw b Ajmal 12 in the Indian ranks would be Zaheer’s presence would also Shahadat Hossain not out 21 about how well Ishant Sharma’s offer the Australians an insight Nazmul Hossain run out 0 injured ankle is shaping up, the into how their young batsmen are Rabiul Islam lbe b Ajmal 0 Australian team management ready for the challenge of swing. Extras: (3lb) 3 would be keenly keeping a tab on Test players like Hughes, TOTAL: (all out) 338 the form of Phil Hughes and Warner, Khawaja and those seek- Overs: 107.2. Usman Khawaja before the real ing a recall like Doug Bollinger and action begins. Trent Copeland would all spice up Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-16, 3-21, 4-43, 5- The team sources insist it the contest. While talents of the 223, 6-305, 7-305, 8-331, 9-332. would be a precautionary rest for future, opener Ed Cowan and bats- Bowling: Umar Gul 28-1-102-3, Aizaz Ishant but at best the issue on his man Alex Doolan would also be Cheema 26-4-73-3, Mohammad Hafeez availability is likely to linger till looking to earn their stripes. 9-3-27-0, Saeed Ajmal 24.2-3-64-2, Abdur the morning of the first Test in Rain though is likely to play Rehman 19-0-66-0, Younis Khan 1-0-3-0. Melbourne on December 26. spoilsport on the opening day on Pakistan 1st Innings In the first practice game Monday with nearly a certain fore- M. Hafeez c Rahim b N. Hossain 14 (which was not a first-class match), cast of thunders and showers Taufeeq Umar not out 44 Indian bowlers were taken to promised by the weathermen. Bangladeshi players celebrate with team-mate Nazmul Hossain, third right, after he took the wicket of Azhar Ali not out 26 cleaners by Tom Cooper and co. as Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez, unseen, on the second day of the second Test at Mirpur in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Extras: (3nb) 3 the Chairman’s XI scored 398. The Teams (from): Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Pavel Rahman) TOTAL: (for one wicket) 87 However, Sachin Tendulkar’s India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — wicket of Hafeez, who was caught Shakib added 82 runs with part- Overs: 27 fluent 92 and VVS Laxman’s half- (c), Virender Sehwag (vc), Sachin Pakistan reached 87-1 to trail by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim. ner Mushfiqur Rahim in a sixth- Fall of wickets: 1-23. century have given assurances to Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Bangladesh in its first innings by Earlier, Pakistan’s Aizaz wicket stand a day after he and Still to bat: Younis Khan, Misbah-ul- the visitors. Laxman, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Monday’s match would offer a Khan, Virat Kohli, Abhimanyu 251 runs at stumps on Sunday on Cheema and Umar Gul took three Shahriar Nafees tallied 180 — Haq (captain), Asad Shafiq, Adnan first outing for the likes of skipper Mithun, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, the second day of the second crick- wickets each to dismiss Bangladesh’s first century partner- Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virender Pragyan Ojha, Ajinkya Rahane, Saeed Ajmal and Aizaz Cheema. et Test. Bangladesh. ship in Tests in more than a year. Sehwag, off-spinner Ravichandran Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, After Bangladesh was dis- Saeed Ajmal also claimed two Immediately after Shakib’s dis- Bowling: Hossain 2-0-15-0 (1nb), Islam Ashwin, who according to senior Rohit Sharma, Vinay Kumar, missed for 338, Pakistan batted for wickets for the visitors, conceding missal, Rahim lost his concentra- 7-1-24-0 (2nb), Hossain 8-0-28-1, Australian batsman Mike Hussey Umesh Yadav. Mahmudullah 6-2-14-0, Al Hasan 4-1-6- 27 overs before bad light forced 64 runs. tion and nipped a lengthy delivery has earned a lot of respect from Cricket Australia 0. umpires to call it a day. Cheema finished with 3-73, from Gul outside leg stump that the home team. Chairman’s XI: David Warner (c), Toss: won by Pakistan. Sehwag will be a big draw, Doug Bollinger, Cameron Boyce, After losing opener Mohammad while Gul claimed 3-102. was caught by Adnan Akmal. Series: Pakistan leads 1-0. fresh from his record double centu- Tom Cooper, Trent Copeland, Alex Hafeez on 14, Taufeeq Umar Shakib Al Hasan smashed 144 Bangladesh then quickly lost Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WI), S.K. ry in one-day internationals. He Doolan, Peter George, Phil Hughes, remained unbeaten on 44 with runs to lead Bangladesh before the remaining wickets, adding only Tarapore (Ind) would have fond memory of Usman Khawaja, Josh Lalor, Tim Azhar Ali on 26 at stumps. being run out by Umar in the sec- 33 runs. TV Umpire: Enamul Haque (Ban) Manuka Oval where he thumped a Ludeman, Shaun Marsh. Nazmul Hossain (1-28) took the ond session. Pakistan lead the two-Test Match Referee: D.C. Boon (Aus) century during the 2007-08 tour that paved his return to Test ranks (The Times of India) Katana, Lucky Rogers, CCC Dabare 19/2) by 64 runs. Maroons, Sanath Jayasuriya ‘A’ entered the semi-final stage in the Katana, Lucky Rogers, CCC Maroons and Sanath Jayasuriya Nelson Mendis Under-14 ‘A’ battle past SSC International Invitational Challenge Shenal Chathaka, M. Ratnayake Trophy yesterday, when they beat RP and K. Wijewardena all combined to SC, MCA Blues, Asian CA and SSC, Sanath Jayasuriya ‘A’ through to semis put a daunting total on the score- respectively. board and the bowlers of Sanath tricky situation again after manag- RP SC batting first failed to con- 17/2) by 5 wickets. Lucky Rogers- 182/9 in 30 overs Jayasuriya ‘A’, kept a tight leash of ing a below par 127 at Thurstan vert to the next gear at any point and Bimantha stars in (Bimantha Lakpriya 64, Ravindu the proceedings to restrict SSC to 152 ended up with 131 on the back of the Lucky Rogers win Sasanka 35, Kusal Lakthilina 32, S. grounds. Tharindu De Silva was in the allotted 30 overs thus securing half century by Sahan Pieris. Katana Lucky Rogers who knocked out Ashan 22; K. Sachira 31/4, Mohamed chief architect as he took four wick- their place in the semi-finals at overhauled the target with Nipun Sydney Blues in the previous round Akram 34/2) beat MCA Blues- 130 all ets and with it the challengeof Shalika grounds. Maduka scoring an unbeaten half had a much relaxed route compared out in 27.5 overs (Hashan Vimukthi 53 Asian CA as well. century. The match was played at to the three run win a day before as n.o., Mohamed Akram 34; Kusal Brief scores: Brief scores: Thurstan grounds. they beat MCA Blues by 52 runs at Lakthilina 30/2, Vimukthi Silva 16/2) CCC Maroons- 127 all out in 29.4 Sanath Jayasuriya A- 180/7 in 30 Brief scores: Shalika grounds. by 52 runs. overs (Ayesh Weeratne 20, Gihan De overs (M. Ratnayake 41 n.o., Shenal RP SC- 131/9 in 30 overs (Sahan Bimantha Lakpriya’s 64 was the Soysa 25, Rashmika Opatha 16; W. Chethaka 60, K. Wijewardena 36; Pieris 57; Supun Lakmal 15/3, focal point. Hashan Vimukthi tried CCC Maroons’ courage Jeffrey 16/2, S. Kariyawasam 40/2, Visura Fernando 25/4, Kevin Bandara Thulina Dilshan 30/2) lost to Katana his utmost with a fighting half centu- stretch Sahan Wijeratne 16/2) beat Asian 30/2) beat SSC- 152/8 in 30 overs CA- 132/5 in 25 overs (Nipul Maduka ry but wickets at regular intervals Lethal effort with the ball from CCC CA- 73 all out in 21.4 overs (Kalana Hettiarachchi 41, Sachintha 50 n.o., Thulina Dilshan 24; S. clogged the progress. Maroons meant they overcame a (Pramesha Thilakeratne 16; Jayathilake 71; Kasun Priyamal 22/3) Ranasinghe 29/2, Nisal Francisco Brief scores: Tharindu De Silva 22/4, Thenuka by 28 runs.