Bazid Khan enlivens the draw

Sri Lanka A 237 (Jayawardene 66*, Yasir Arafat 5-76) drew with Pakistan A 297 for 8 (Bazid Khan 128)

On a day with nothing to play for, Pakistan A's opener Bazid Khan scored a century to enliven an inevitable draw in the unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A in Kandy.

Bazid, a stylish 24-year-old from Lahore, held Pakistan's innings together with a superb knock of 128, as they finish on 297 for 8 in reply to Sri Lanka A's first innings of 237. The match was called off at the tea break after consultation between the two captains.

Watching Bazid bat was like seeing a virtual carbon copy of his father, Majid Khan. Tall, slender and graceful, Majid captivated the cricket world with his exquisite strokeplay whether representing Pakistan, Cambridge University, Glamorgan or Queensland. He was all grace and fluency with majestic driving and hooking being his hallmarks.

Despite batting splendidly, Bazid did not rate his century as one of his best. "It was a slow pitch and the ball was not coming onto the bat. I think I have played better than this," he said, while admitting that he would have to live in the shadow of his famous father throughout his life.

"It has its advantages and disadvantages. I felt the pressures of it at the beginning of my career when people started comparing me to my father every time I went out to bat. But I am now experienced enough to overcome that pressure."

"Like Rohan Gavaskar [son of Sunil Gavaskar] I will also have to live with a famous father. But I like to be known as Bazid Khan and not made any comparisons to my father."

A heavy scorer in domestic cricket, Bazid (like his father) used England as a finishing school (Brighton College). He also spent some time on the MCC Ground Staff.

Bazid and Faisal Iqbal, nephew of another famous Pakistani cricketer, Javed Miandad, pulled the Pakistan A innings around with a grand 124-run fifth-wicket partnership after they had lost the first four wickets for 105.

The pair batted right throughout the morning session adding 113 runs and were separated only when Faisal did not respond to Bazid's call and was run out for 46.