Yadav, Sehwag pull President’s men past Pak

Yadav was decidedly chancy while Sehwag played with instant fluency to help the Board President’s XI take a 35-run lead. Pakistan openers Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar pushed their side to 27 without loss.

Pakistan, who tasted early success when Azhar Mahmood had Gagan Khoda carving loosely to be caught by Inzamam-ul Haq at slip, had to then contend with some stubborn batting from the young Indian side.

It was Yadav who set the ball rolling. He was a bit circumspect when Shoaib Akhtar managed to get into the right channel around the off-stump and was fortunate to get away with some of his airy flashes. He was once bowled off a no ball and then dropped at slip off Mahmood.

However, with the advent of the spinners, Yadav looked much more confident. He ignited the moderate crowd when he lofted Mushtaq Ahmed for two consecutive sixes and though another attempt fell short of Afridi at mid on, Yadav never got bogged down. He belted the leggie over extra cover for another six.

Yadav raced to his 50 (81b, 6×4, 3×6) with a backfoot cover drive and celebrated it by lifting left-arm spinner Nadeem Khan for a six and following it with a sweetly timed boundary. Along with Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who came on after Shiv Sundar Das ran himself out, Yadav put on 50 runs for the third wicket.

Nadeem had his revenge. He pinned Yadav with one directed at his legs, not giving the batsman room to maneuver. Yadav’s desperate attempt to break the shackles landed in a fairly simple catch to Saeed Anwar at mid-wicket. Nadeem was ready to buy his wickets at a price and was duly rewarded.

Kanitkar, who had struck the spinner over the long-on fence for a six, was foxed by one that turned and popped giving Wasti at short-leg a dolly drop.

The top order had been wiped off and the bowlers were determined to open up the middle order. Mohammed Kaif and Virender Sehwag did well to survive early jitters. Sehwag survived a scare when Yousuf Youhana made a valiant, attempt to close his fingers around a mis-timed loft.

The fifth wicket pair milled the bowling down with some resolute batting. Sehwag was business-like, putting away the bad balls but never being adventurous, while Kaif was solid. Mushtaq who was hit around was substituted and when Anwar left the field, Pakistan had to turn to Miandad.

For an hour, Miandad was on the field motivating the bowlers, admonishing the fielders and manning short covers. It was an indication of what he had said before he took up the job of Pakistan coach — he would play when his side needed.

Kaif fell close to tea but Sehwag found an ideal partner in Laxmi Ratan Shukla and they took the Board President’s XI past the Pakistan first innings score. Sehwag got to his 50 (53b, 58m, 6×4, 1×6) and then played two shots, both against Afridi, which were the pick of those he played today.

Pakistan struck back after tea and it was a run out that opened the gates. Shukla went for a second run which was not there and he and Sehwag landed up at the same end. Nadeem accounted for both MSK Prasad and Sehwag (66: 83b, 97m, 8×4, 1×6) while Afridi came back to wrap up the tail.

Scoreboard

Pakistan (1st innings): 247

Board President’s XI (1st innings, overnight 35-0: SS Das run out 26 (135b, 78m, 3×4), G Khoda c Inzamam b Mahmood 20 (30 b, 57 m, 3×4), JP Yadav c Anwar b Nadeem 62 (102b, 137m, 7×4, 4×6), H Kanitkar c Wasti b Nadeem 22 (68b, 70m, 1×4, 1×6), M Kaif lbw Afridi 21 (56b, 64m, 2×4), V Sehwag c Moin b Nadeem 66 (83b, 97m, 8×4, 1×6), LR Shukla run out 17 (25b, 25m, 2×4), MSK Prasad c&b Nadeem 0 (8b, 13m), Ananthapadmanabhan c Nadeem b Afridi 19 (33b, 39m, 2×4), M Kartik c&b Afridi 1 (22b, 33m), D Mohanty not out 0 (6b, 9 m); Extras: (nb18, lb4, b5, w1) 28.

Total: (in 83.3 overs, 351 minutes) 282.

Fall Of Wickets: 1-47 (Khoda), 2-82 (Das), 3-132 (Yadav), 4-151 (Kanitkar), 5-205 (Kaif), 6-250 (Shukla), 7-257 (Prasad), 8-264 (Sehwag), 9-281 (Ananthapadmanabhan).

Bowling: Shoaib Akhtar 12-1-35-0, Azhar Mahmood 17-4-54-1, Mushtaq Ahmed 18-8-61-0, Nadeem Khan 28-9-87-4, Shahid Afridi 8.3-0-36-3.

Pakistan (1st innings): S Anwar (batting) 10 (43b, 57m, 1×4), S Afridi (batting) 15 (41b, 57m, 2×4); Extras: (nb7): 2.

Total: (for no loss, 12 overs, 57 minutes): 27.

Bowling: D Mohanty 6-2-14-0, LR Shukla 4-0-10-0, K Murali 2-0-3-0.