Leg spinner Shadab Khan dazzled for Pakistan in his side’s second warm-up game ahead of the one-off Test against Ireland.
Young Shadab picked up six wickets as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 259 on the first day of the four-day game. Openers Azhar Ali and Imam-ul-Haq negotiated four overs safely with Pakistan 6-0 by the time stumps were called on Friday.
Northamptonshire skipper Rob Newton won the toss and elected to bat first. The skipper formed a decent opening partnership of 36 runs with Ben Duckett who was the first to fall after being dismissed by pacer Rahat Ali.
The home side had recovered from the loss of two wickets in quick succession with a half-century stand between Newton and Richard Levi for the third wicket. That is when the Shadab show started with the 19-year-old trapping Levi lbw before finding the edge off Newton’s bat which Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed gathered safely.
Northamptonshire’s batsmen had no answer to Shadab’s tricks.
The Northamptonshire middle-order had no answer to the wrist-spinner’s back of tricks with Josh Cobb and Rob Keogh becoming his next victims.
Adam Rossington top scored for the hosts with a knock of 90 runs and he became Shadab’s final victim with Sarfraz completing an excellent stumping.
Rahat ended up with two scalps while Haris Sohail claimed one wicket for Pakistan. Shadab was called up the Test side for the first time after senior spinner Yasir Shah was ruled out for the tours of Ireland and England.
The one-off Test between Ireland and Pakistan will get underway in Dublin on May 11.