Cricket: Pakistan untidy in first hit out

Pakistan's Umar Akaml up against the Auckland Aces. Photo / Greg Bowker.

First game and a foreign field, so let's cut the Pakistani cricketers some slack after a sloppy opening performance against Auckland yesterday.

Having been sent in, they were immediately in trouble, losing two wickets in the first over and never recovering.

The tourists were rolled for just 91 in 17.4 overs. Auckland, who bowled impressively and fielded sharply, eased to 92 for five with 6.4 overs to spare.

In other words, it was a complete bath on a lovely afternoon before a decent crowd.

Next up it's New Zealand at Eden Park on Boxing Day and Pakistan's coach, Waqar Younis, maintained last night things would be different.

"It's not the most ideal start, but that happens sometimes when you've just arrived in the country and don't know much about the pitch conditions," he said.

"Unfortunately the batting didn't click and nobody took responsibility, which was the key. They've learned their lesson and hopefully next up will be a different ball game."

Auckland's captain, Gareth Hopkins, was also prepared to give Pakistan the benefit of the doubt.

"I've been in their position in the past, straight off the plane. All of a sudden you're three, four, five down and [you're thinking] what's going on here?

"They're not excuses, just the reality of what it is. I wouldn't read too much into it, and we saw they've got some class bowlers," he said. "I'm sure they'll be up for it come Boxing Day."

T20 cricket doesn't give batsmen time to find their feet and that was part of Pakistan's problems. Once they hit the slippery slope, they felt a need to keep pressing.

At one point wickets fell in the eighth, ninth and 10th overs, and again in the 16th, 17th and 18th.

Umar Akmal's 25 off 29 balls was the best contribution; Younis Khan's elegantly straight-driven six off medium pacer Jimmy Neesham the shot of the innings.

Michael Bates knocked the top over impressively, Daryl Tuffey put in a good spell and spinners Ronnie Hira and Bhupinder Singh were tidy.

But Pakistan's batsmen gave their bowlers nothing to work with.

Martin Guptill batted through for Auckland, facing a tick over one-third of the deliveries, to finish on 28 off 30 balls, but getting a decent early look at bowlers he'll face later in the tour.

Shoaib Akhtar may be a mere zephyr compared to his halcyon days but he can still get it through, as Lou Vincent would testify. Offspinner Saeed Ajmal was impressive.

They'll be the better for the workout and New Zealand would be wise to tread carefully on Boxing Day.

Not that they can afford to be anything but, given their recent form.

The installing of John Wright and a new regime adds extra spice to the start of the international summer.

It would be folly to suggest things will suddenly get much better.

Equally, a strong first-up performance will make everyone, from players to management, feel encouraged.

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan -(17.4 overs) 91

Auckland -(for 5 wkts, 13.2 overs) 92