Cricket update - Pakistan vs Kent review second day of the 3-day match
Pakistan team had a much better day two in their first warm up match against Kent at the Canterbury ground. After being all out for 360 with Umar Akmal (153) being the only batsman to have put up a respectable score. This time it was another teenager, the left arm tearaway Mohammad Aamer who claimed 5 wickets in an inspired display of fast bowling.
Kent started the day the Day at 2 for no loss having faced just one over on day one, Coles and Denly played some good drives on a few half volleys served up to them early in the morning, but Muhammad Aamer was quick to get in his groove and got one to move off the seam, Coles went back but could not comprehend with the amount of movement on the ball losing his middle stump, Coles scored 12 runs from 26 balls with 2 boundaries.
Just 2 balls later Aamer got his 2nd scalp when CD Piesley tried to drive on his 2nd ball and edged one to the slips where Salman Butt was waiting, Piesley did not manage to get off the mark.
Aamer was really making good use of the moisture present in the pitch in the first session. Umar Gul at the other end also continued to probe the batsmen with his nagging off stump line, hardly giving any room. After 2 quick wickets, Umar Gul in the very next over made one to nip back after pitching just outside the off stump and disturbed the furniture behind AJ Blake (Blake did not get off the mark).
The string of wicket tumbling did not end there; Aamer in his very next over continued to bamboozle the Kent Batsmen, this time it was a much fuller ball that enticed J Hockley to drive from the front foot and the ball sneaked through the gap(Hockley failed to score any runs).
Kent at 33 for 4 were finding it extremely difficult to handle the swing and pace of Pakistani bowlers, while Denly was watching from the other end. Four wickets went down and finally he had some support in shape of Goodman. The pair put on a solid 5th wicket partnership; Denly was the aggressor and took his chances while Goodman took on the sheet anchor role.
The two added 89 runs before opener Denly was finally sent back, he was Muhammad Aamer’s 4th victim as the left arm bowler used some reverse swing to knock him over. Denly scored 63 runs from 77 balls with 9 boundaries.
Next in was the former Pakistan All rounder Azhar Mehmood, he played some good strokes making sure he does not let anything loose go unpunished, and played a couple of delightful drives. He was dismissed by Umar Gul as he tried to go for a big shot and was caught in the deep by Wahab Riaz. Azhar scored 28 runs from 33 balls.
Kent wicketkeeper Dixey was in next, while Goodman was still going strong on the other end, but they put on 38 runs for the 7th wicket before Goodman was sent packing after scoring a hard fought 59 runs from 127 balls with 6 boundaries. He was bowled by Wahab Riaz for his only wicket of the innings.
Shoaib Malik finished off the innings with 2 wickets in the end, as Kent were all out for 259.
Pakistan came out to bat in the final session for 20 overs, Salman Butt was quickly removed for just 9 runs by Azhar Mehmood, but Umar Amin finally got some runs under his belt.
At the close of play on day 2 Pakistan were 86 for 2, with Umar Amin at 42 and Fawad Alam at 29.
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