Pakistanis Succumb To Spin On First Day Of Tour Game

Spin was the Pakistanis undoing, as they were bowled out for 247 on day one of the three-day warm up against the Sri Lanka Board President's XI at Colts Cricket Ground in Colombo. Only Ahmed Shehzad and Younis Khan crossed fifty, as the visitors lost seven wickets to spin - five of them to legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay. The Board XI went to stumps at 44 for 1, after Junaid Khan had trapped Dimuth Karunaratne in front second ball.

Mohammad Hafeez was lbw to right-arm seamer Nisala Tharaka in a rain-affected first session, before Azhar Ali was caught off Milinda Siriwardene's left-arm spin to leave Pakistan at 39 for 2. Shehzad and Younis then set to work on the only substantial partnership of the innings, hitting 113 in each other's company, for the third wicket.

Younis was the more aggressive batsman, hitting three sixes and five fours to progress to 64 from 78 balls, before falling to Siriwardene himself. Vandersay then laid waste to the middle order, first having Shehzad caught for 82, before dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq soon after. Asad Shafiq was stumped off Vandersay for 27, and with Sarfraz Ahmed also having been run out, the tail provided little resistance, giving up the last four wickets for 15 runs. Vandersay finished with 5 for 73.

Upul Tharanga remained unbeaten on 29 at stumps, with Kaushal Silva for company.
(espncricinfo)