Leggie Ahmed scalps 5 as practice tie ends in a draw

A splendid stint of leg spin bowling saw Shahzaib Ahmed of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Patron's XI scalp five victims, restricting the West Indies first innings to 297 on the final day of the three day/night tour fixture at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday night.
The 25-year-old Karachi player, yet to be capped by his country at the senior level after decent outings for the national U19 squads, showed fine temperament and was generous in the air with his flight deliveries.
 The 5-85 from 35 overs will surely be kept in mind by Pakistan selectors in times to come especially the way he got the comfortable looking islanders going the wrong way in the session before dinner on Sunday.
 Pakistan were 26-3 in their second innings when play ended an hour early. Mohammad Hafeez (9) trying to make a comeback to top grade cricket failed again, after his first innings flop, and was followed by Ahmed Shehzad (4) and Shan Masood (9). Off spinner Kraigg Brathwaite claimed two of the three wickets to fall. There was no urgency or purpose except the time devoted for practice as far as the West Indian batting went in the first session on Day 3 where 26 runs were scored in the first 22 overs. Luckily for them there was no crowd to entertain, thus the situation being an opportunity and an incentive to groom themselves, well ahead of the first Test against Pakistan starting on October 13 in Dubai.
 Shai Hope gave no hope for fireworks and neither did the powerful yet extremely stylish Darren Bravo who had crawled to 39 and 88 respectively by the time the 98th over got over. Except for a six and a four there wasn't much happening from the overnight position of 73.4 overs till the 98th.
 Finally something happened when Bravo while going for a punch into the covers, was pouched by keeper Adnan Akmal off a rising delivery from part-time medium pacer Shan Masood. The batsman occupied the crease for 265 balls during which time the essay was laced with three 6s and 12 fours, and Bravo cannot complain that he did not get enough batting practice. Jermain Blackwood was bowled by left arm slow Fawad Alam, the PCB captain, for 13 when the batsman misread a flighted delivery pitched on the middle. Hafeez at slip gobbled Roston Chase when the latter went for an ambitious drive and managed a thick edge off the bowling of Ahmed to have the Caribbean men at 235-5 soon after tea. The drudgery continued thereafter.
 The islanders were 286-6 when Hope (226b; 6x4) was beaten completely by Ahmed's trajectory and flight while attempting a drive on the off side. Skipper Jason holder lasted two balls before giving Ahmed a caught and bowled opportunity and the Pakistani leggie gleefully accepted it for his fourth wicket (290-7). Dowrich still playing defensively, tried another poke in front, missed the line and Ahmed deservedly claimed victim number five (291-8). Bishoo followed immediately with a duck at the same score (291-9), out to a brilliant gully take by Ahmed Shehzad off the pacy leftie Junaid Khan. The innings folded up at 297 when Alzarro Joseph after a fine four, perished to Junaid Khan, caught at mid-off by Jamal.