LONDON – Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali marked his Somerset debut with acentury as the visitors established a commanding positon in their FirstDivision County Championship match away to Worcestershire on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old Azhar, a veteran of 65 Tests, made 125 off 188 balls,including 13 fours and two sixes, before he was last man out in a Somersettotal of 362 for nine declared at New Road.
England off-spinner Mooen Ali did his chances of a Test recall ahead ofnext week s series opener against India at Edgbaston no harm with a returnof five wickets for 107 runs.
Worcestershire then lost Daryl Mitchell (six) and Moeen (seven) beforeending the third and penultimate day on 50 for two, leaving them needing afurther 393 runs to win on Wednesday.
“I m really happy. It is my first game for Somerset and I ve been madewelcome,” Azhar told the county s website.
“I really enjoyed batting out there and it was really pleasing to get someruns in the first game and hopefully I can build on that.”
Reflecting on his innings, Azhar, who played in Pakistan s drawn Testseries in England earlier this season, added: “Moeen started to turn theball out of the rough so I thought attacking him early on was the rightoption because if you are bogged down, they can bring a short leg into playso, I had to go after him to start with.”
“We wanted to score runs as well to be in a position to boss the game. Thatis why I played positively and it paid off,” explained Azhar, who waseventually caught off a reverse-sweep against Moeen.
Somerset have had a superb return from their overseas batsmen so far thisseason after deciding not to go ahead with bringing Cameron Bancroft toTaunton following the Australian s role in a ball-tampering scandal inSouth Africa earlier this year.
They signed Matt Renshaw, a fellow Australia batsman, in his place and hewent on to make three hundreds, while averaging 51.30, before breaking afinger against Surrey last month — an injury that paved the way forAzhar s arrival. – APP/AFP