Qadir leads Pakistan's spirited response in Youth Test against England

ARUNDEL: Top-order batter Abdul Qadir's blistering half-century helped Pakistan U19 reduce the first-innings deficit to 77 runs on the second day of the one-off Youth Test against England U19 here at the Arundel Castle Cricket Club Ground on Thursday.

At the stumps on the second day, the visitors were 257/6, with Hasnain Abbas Dar and Mohammad Sayyam, unbeaten on 26 and 11, respectively.

The pulsating day got underway with England U19 resuming their first innings from 264/5 through Bertie Michael and added 69 more to their total for the remaining five wickets and were thus bowled out for 333 in 87.1 overs.

Michael, who resumed the hosts' first innings from 98 not out, ensured a stable resumption alongside Luke Hands (22) as the duo knitted a 51-run partnership for the seventh wicket, during which the opening brought up his well-deserved century.

Hands's dismissal sparked a collapse as England U19 lost their four wickets, including that of centurion Michael, for just 18 runs, and were thus bowled out in the opening session.

Michael remained the top-scorer for the home side with an anchoring 131 off 235 deliveries, studded with 21 boundaries.

Rizwanullah was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan U19 as he took three wickets for 63 runs in 17 overs, followed by Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain and Sayyam with two each, while Mohammad Huzaifa claimed one.

In response to England's 333 all out, Pakistan got off to a decent start to their innings, with their openers Usman Khan and Aliyan Salman putting together a 56-run partnership at a brisk pace.

Manny Lumsden gave England the much-needed breakthrough as he broke the budding opening partnership by dismissing Usman, who made a 46-ball 28.

His dismissal paved the way for Qadir, and the top-order batter launched a counterattack on the English bowlers with a spirited half-century, during which he smashed 10 fours and two sixes.

He was eventually sent back by Lumsden after scoring 66 off just 54 deliveries as Pakistan slipped to 144/3.

All-rounder Hussain, who earlier shared a 57-run stand for the third wicket with Qadir, was then involved in crucial partnerships with captain Farhan Yousaf (21) and wicketkeeper batter Hamza Zahoor (26), until eventually being cleaned up by Ralphie Albert in the 42nd over. He made an anchoring 35 off 66 deliveries.

With the scoreboard reading 218/6 following Hussain's dismissal, Hasnain and Sayyam batted sensibly in the dying minutes of the pulsating second day to ensure the visitors did not suffer further setbacks to their response.

The duo, who share an unbeaten 39-run partnership for the seventh wicket, will resume the Green Shirts' response on the penultimate day.

Lumsden has been the standout bowler for England U19, having taken three wickets for 44 runs in his four overs, followed by Albert with two, while Jack Auld has made one scalp thus far.