Kamran Akmal lights up with muscular century

Tasmania 6 for 132 (Bailey 50) trail Pakistanis 437 (Butt 153, Akmal 109) by 305 runs
Scorecard

Kamran Akmal found some impressive form with a brutal century before the Pakistani bowlers reduced Tasmania to 6 for 132 on the second day of their tour game in Hobart. After Salman Butt's solid 153 on Saturday, Akmal increased the pace with 109 off 81 balls as the tourists reached 437 in their first innings.

Akmal was the last man out, hitting hard to deep point, and he had particular fun targeting the offspinner Jason Krejza, who took 3 for 162 off 28.4 overs. There were three sixes and 17 fours in Akmal's display but his team-mates did not find things as easy. The Pakistanis resumed at 4 for 270, but Umar Akmal (27) and Fawad Alam (33) could only make starts and the best of the bottom four was Umar Gul's 5.

The bowlers enjoyed the conditions with the ball, with Mohammad Aamer striking two early blows in his spell, and when Abdur Rauf chipped in with two of his own Tasmania were 4 for 45. George Bailey, who might be mentioned by Australia's selectors over the next month, steadied things with 50 before being lbw to Saeed Ajmal (2 for 56), who had already picked up Tim Paine for 16.

Aamer finished with 2 for 18 off 10 overs while Rauf had 2 for 21 off 12 as they made life hard for the locals. The three-day game, which finishes on Monday, has been a strong hit-out for the tourists ahead of the opening Test against Australia in Melbourne on Boxing Day.