Cricket: Khan copes in contest with Kiwi quick

Adam Milne continues to impress for New Zealand.
Adam Milne continues to impress for New Zealand.
During his fine 103 at Abu Dhabi yesterday, Younis Khan, veteran of 258 ODIs and a thousand battles in an almost 15-year career, had to scrap for dear life during a wonderful contest with New Zealand's quickest bowler Adam Milne.

He was in for the fifth ball of Pakistan's chase for 300 and went toe to toe with the express Palmerston North bowler.

Younis faced a total of 25 balls from Milne and scored just five singles. It took him 10 balls to get the first of them. Younis scored 98 off 92 deliveries from the other five New Zealand bowlers.

Had Ross Taylor not dropped Younis on two, hard and low to his left off the luckless Milne, this vignette within the match would not have taken place.

As it was, it proved riveting cricket, the resourceful Younis at times clinging on as Milne turned up the heat.

It was his seventh ODI 100 and first for 78 innings. He has had ups and downs with the Pakistan selectors and has just returned to the one-day team.

Pakistan feel they need him at No 3 for the World Cup. Yesterday showed why. He can play unusual strokes but his heart and tenacity are strong.

In a similar way Milne is making a strong case for cup selection, despite ordinary ODI career figures of five wickets from 10 games.

The Milne of today is far different from the callow young man who started out, in a T20 international against Pakistan at Eden Park on Boxing Day, 2010.

Different men, the ageing warrior and the young rip snorter, one an absolute key for his team, the other fast becoming one.

- David Leggat of the New Zealand Herald

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