Masood kickstarts Pakistan’s Australia tour with unbeaten century

Pakistan 324 for six (Masood 156*, Sarfaraz 41*, Buckingham 3-63) vs Prime Minister’s XI

On a scorching day and confronted with a sluggish pitch, Pakistan made cheap use of an opportunity to bat first but it surely was solely Masood who totally cashed in as Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam and Sarfaraz Ahmed all departed earlier than taking advantage of their alternatives. Faheem Ashraf was brilliantly caught at slip by Cameron Bancroft off what grew to become the final ball of the day as Pakistan closed on 324 for six.

Masood, who lately took over the Test captaincy from Babar, went to his hundred from 169 balls shortly after tea, with the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in attendance having returned to the bottom following his temporary morning look the place he handed out caps and performed the toss.

Masood is aware of the significance of constructing huge runs on this tour to offer the bowling assault an opportunity of success and needs to be taught the teachings of the 2019-2020 when he made scores 27, 42, 19 and 68.

“I got a couple of starts but you want to convert those starts in Test cricket and get three figures,” he stated on Tuesday. “That will be my test, my opportunity. We got used to conditions [in 2019] very well. Babar got a hundred, Yasir [Shah] got a hundred, but there were a lot of fifties from batsmen so we want to convert those into matchwinning contributions.”

The pitch served up at Manuka Oval, after loads of latest rain, is unlikely to bear a lot resemblance to what Pakistan will face in Perth subsequent week. The lack of tempo was clear early on when an edge from Shafique didn’t carry to the slips who have been stood moderately shut, whereas later within the day wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson was stood as much as Buckingham and Beau Webster with a hoop area.

But, nonetheless, time within the center cannot be discounted for many who managed first rate stints. Imam-ul-Haq could not take his first alternative when he inside-edged a drive off Buckingham, a late substitute for Michael Neser, who began with a superb wicket maiden to the left hander.

However, from there early progress was regular with out the run charge threatening to match the ‘Pakistan Way’ from the Test collection in opposition to Sri Lanka. There was some early seam motion to barter which introduced quite a lot of performs and misses because the tried to be optimistic, whereas a sluggish outfield diminished the worth for strokes that received via the infield.

The lack of tempo on the floor performed an element in Shafique’s wicket when he drove to quick cowl shortly earlier than lunch. There then adopted a stand of 92-run stand between Masood, who lofted Todd Murphy for a straight six, and Babar with the latter working via a sluggish begin to unfurl some good-looking drives.

Babar regarded set to benefit from pleasant circumstances earlier than glancing Buckingham down the leg facet and Saud Shakeel paid the worth for a tentative shot in opposition to Murphy having misinterpret the size. Murphy, who had missed Victoria’s final two Sheffield Shield matches with a shoulder downside, was the most costly of the PM’s XI assault as he struggled just a little to find the best size, though he did flip a pair previous the sting.

Later within the day, Masood and Sarfaraz have been capable of take benefit in opposition to Murphy and the allrounders forward of the second new ball being taken. However, with the ultimate supply from the previous ball, Buckingham earned his second leg-side wicket of the day courtesy of an impressive take by Peirson off Sarfaraz’s glove.

As had been flagged by captain Nathan McSweeney earlier than the sport, Cameron Green was not used with the ball as his workload is managed forward of the Test collection although he isn’t anticipated to characteristic initially.

The primary curiosity within the PM’s XI facet will come when Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw get their probability on the crease with a watch on who may substitute David Warner.