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Yousuf, Razzaq
save Pak from an upset against Scotland |
June 28, 2006 (Click to see
Scorecard)
Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq steered
Pakistan to a 5-wicket victory against Scotland
in the Only ODI played at Edinburgh. Chasing a
moderate target of 204 against the minnows,
Pakistan were in an embarrassing position at 93
for 5 in the 26th over. It was the 112 run stand
between Yousuf and Razzaq that had rescued Pak
from what would have been a major upset.
Pakistan had a bad start from their top order
with Salman Butt getting out in the 4th over.
Malik and Younis Khan got starts, but could not
kick on from their 20s. Inzamam and Afridi were
also taken cheaply by the homeside. However
Scotland, which was playing only its 6th ODI,
didn’t have enough fire power to bowl out the
visitors and eventually the winning runs were
scored in the 44th over. Mohammad Yousuf
remained unbeaten on a 113 ball-83 and Razzaq
was the dominant partner scoring a 48 ball-49
which also included three sixes. Thirty
six-year-old debutant medium pacer for Scotland,
Paul Hoffman bowled incredibly well for his 3
for 22 in 10 overs.
Earlier in the day, Inzamam had won the toss and
he put the minnows to bat first hoping that it
would be a short day on the field for his boys.
But Scotland spoilt the plans by batting all the
50 overs to score a respectable 203 for 8. They
got off to an extremely poor start losing 5
wickets in the first 8 overs with just 20 on the
board. Umar Gul and Mohammad Asif did the damage
and the Pakistanis were well on course of
bundling out Scotland cheaply, but the pair of
Ryan Watson and Neil McCallum had other plans.
Skipper Ryan Watson had scored almost a
run-a-ball 80 which had 12 fours and a six and
Neil MacCullum had scored a workmanlike 68 in
129 balls. Both these batsmen had taken Scotland
from 20 for 4 to 138 for 5. The Scotland wicket
keeper, Douglas Lockhart who came in after
Watson’s wicket scored a useful 25 to partner
with McCallum in putting up 45 runs for the 6th
wicket. The most appreciable thing was that all
the four players, who had performed well
including Paul Hoffman were all playing their
1st ODI!
The most famous Scotland player, Gavin Hamilton,
who was a star in the 1999 World Cup had a
disappointing time getting run out for a 10
ball-9. For the record, Gavin Hamilton had also
played one Test Match for England, which was
against South Africa in 1999. Even though
Hamitlon has failed in this ODI against Pak, his
batting average is still impressive at 45.20 and
it includes two fifties. Mohammad Yousuf was the
Man of the Match and Pakistan now move onto
England for the Test Series and Scotland get on
with their World Cup 2007 preparations.
Scotland 203/8 in 50
Ovs (Ryan Watson 80 Neil MacCullum 68
Douglas Lochart 25, Shoaib Malik 3/35 Umar Gul
2/19 Mohammad Asif 1/29 Shahid Afridi 1/42)
lost to Pakistan
205/5 in 43.5 Ovs (Mohammad Yousuf
83* Abdul Razzaq 49* Younis Khan 25, Paul
Hoffman 3/22 Dewald Nel 1/40 Ross Llyons 1/44)
by 5 wickets in the Only ODI at the Grange
Cricket Club Ground, Raeburn Place, Edinburg.
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