Pakistan seal hefty win in series opener

Cricket365
December 12, 2011

For their latest string of batting inadequacy, the home side endured a hefty innings and 184-run defeat at the hands of Pakistan in Chittagong on Monday.

Faced with a monstrous 459-run deficit in the wake of Younis Khan's double ton and centuries from Mohammad Hafeez and Asad Shafiq, Bangladesh fell to 228 for nine – and deserved loss – midway through the second session on day four to the first Test.

Mohammed Nazimuddin stood firm at the top of the knock, scoring 78 on debut, while Shakib Al Hasan weighed in with 51 before Mushfiqur Rahim tucked into a solid 49.

The rest of the toothless Tigers' order, though, continued the lack of application that dogs their approach time and time again. Coach Stuart Law is having to put up with the same frustrations that his predecessor Jamie Siddons endured.

The tale was a familiar one – just as a Bangladeshi batsman was getting going, he'd throw his wicket away with a brash shot. Their penchant for self-implosion knows no end.

The visiting spinners struck with enough regularity to have the series opener to the two-match affair unable to reach a fifth day. The conditions again proved to be low and slow, with the prolific Saeed Ajmal taking a back seat to Abdur Rehman this time around.

Rehman finished with second-innings figures of four for 88 and in the process clinched 50 wickets in just his 11th Test. Ajmal, meanwhile, made do with two for 74.

Rubel Hossain was unable to bat after injuring his shoulder in the field on Sunday and the fast bowler is a doubtful starter come the second Test, which gets underway in Dhaka on Saturday.

Mohammad Ashraful is, for the umpteenth time in his career, in line to be dropped after the former skipper managed just one and zero in Chittagong.

Younis landed the Man of the Match award for his sterling double century. He'll fancy a packet more runs in Dhaka, where batsmen-friendly conditions are sure to prevail again.