LONDON: Leicestershire middle-order batsman Ateeq Javid’s half-century took the home side for a draw on the second day of the two-day warm-up match against Pakistan at Grace Road on Sunday. Javid opted to retire out on 54 runs off 144 balls. The home side scored 226-6 in 75 overs. For the visiting side, Shadab Khan took two wickets, while medium fast bowler Saad Ali, Muhammad Abbas and Fakhar Zaman took a wicket each. Earlier, Openers Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman both made fifties as they shared a century stand. Pakistan declared on 321 for nine with Azhar having scored 73 and Fakhar 71, the openers sharing a stand of 121 in an innings where Usman Salahuddin made 69. The match was Pakistan’s last before they face England at Lord’s on Thursday in the first of a two-Test series. Azhar’s innings was especially encouraging after he twice fell cheaply, for four and two, in Pakistan’s five-wicket win over debutants Ireland in last week´s stand-alone Test at Malahide, Dublin. The 33-year-old Azhar, whose 63 Tests have yielded 14 centuries, appears inked in to open against England alongside the in-form Imam-ul-Haq, rested from the Leicestershire game. Fakhar, whose blazing century helped Pakistan beat arch-rivals India in last year’s Champions Trophy one-day final at The Oval, has yet to make his Test debut. Published in Daily Times, May 21st 2018.