Irfan, Younis shine in practice match

CAPE TOWN: Pakistan's left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan made a claim for a Test place and senior batsman Younis Khan played himself into form on the second and final day of a practice match against an Emerging Cape Cobras team at the Western Province Cricket Club on Monday.

Irfan followed up his first innings haul of four for 20 with three for 20 as the home side, comprising amateur players from the Western Cape franchise, were bowled out for 78.

Set to make 59, the tourists romped to a ten-wicket win. They batted on until they reached 126 for one, enabling Younis Khan to score 74 not out after his first four innings on tour yielded only 34 runs. The second Test starts at Newlands on Thursday.

Rahat Ali was preferred to the tall Irfan for the third seamer's role in the first Test in Johannesburg, which South Africa won by 211 runs, but Ali did not take a wicket.

Umar Gul and Junaid Khan, the two senior fast bowlers, were rested and Irfan's match haul of seven for 40 was easily the best return for the tourists in the practice match, with none of the other pace bowlers taking more than three wickets.