England cricket team to open Pakistan tour with warm-up match by AFP

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Event:

England in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 31st October 2005

 

England's high-flying cricket team open their Pakistan tour with a three-day side match against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Patron's XI at Rawalpindi stadium Monday.

 

England, who arrived last week, have two three-day side matches before they take on Pakistan in the first of three Tests at Multan from November 12.

 

The second side match is scheduled for Lahore from November 6.

 

England asked to play all 14 of their players in the side match, a request accepted by the PCB but which took away the first-class status of the match where only eleven players are allowed to feature.

 

England captain Michael Vaughan will also be available for the side match after suffering a minor ear infection.

 

The home team, led by Test discard Misbahul Haq, has fringe Pakistan players and also includes left-handed middle order batsman Asim Kamal, part of Pakistan's 16-man squad for the first two Tests against England.

 

England: M. Vaughan (capt), A. Strauss, M. Trescothick, I. Bell, K. Pietersen, G Jones (wkt), A. Giles, A. Loudon, S. Udal, L. Plunkett, M. Hoggard, P. Collingwood, M. Prior (wkt), J. Anderson.

 

Pakistan Cricket Board Patron's XI: Asher Zaidi, Yasir Hameed, Bazid Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asim Kamal, Faisal Iqbal, Imran Tahir, Yasir Arafat, Zulqarnain, Mohammad Irshad, Arshad Khan, Mohammad Asif, Najaf Shah, Shehzad Malik.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)