Umar weaves magic around Kent

Umar Akmal showed why he is the most talented youngster in the team as he scored his seventh first-class hundred to help the Pakistanis make 360 in their first innings on the first day against Kent.

Umar, who came in when Pakistan were wobbling at 53 for three, faced just 188 balls to score 153 as he launched a brutal onslaught, hitting 17 fours and five sixes on a pitch where no other Pakistani batsman managed more than 30.

He added 111 with Abdur Rehman and was finally dismissed by Mark Lawson – stumped by the keeper – who finished with an impressive but expensive four for 93.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi – coming from fresh hundreds in the Asia Cup against India and Bangladesh – was dismissed for a duck as the batsmen found it hard to get past their starts.

Umar Gul provided a brief cameo at the end as he made a 26-ball 30 to take Pakistan past the 350-run mark as Kent managed to score two runs off the only over they faced before close of play.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29^th, 2010.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: June 29, 2010

Due to a transcription error, an earlier version of this article misstated Abdur Rehman as Abdul Razzaq.