Ton-up Youhana and Inzamam shine in Indian tour opener

The tourists shrugged off both the tight security and an inauspicious start to knock up 334-6 declared and then reduced India A to 63-2 in the three-day tour opener at the Roop Singh stadium here.

Inzamam, who smashed 12 boundaries and four sixes, missed his century when skipper Wasim Akram closed the innings an hour before close to have a go at India's latest Test opening pair of Venkat Laxman and Sadagopan Ramesh.

The Pakistani captain won the first round as both batsmen, selected for the first Test starting at Madras on January 28, failed to survive his torrid opening spell.

Laxman, leading the Indian second-string, had made two when he gave an easy catch to third slip. Ramesh scored 17 before top-edging a hook to wicket-keeper Moin Khan.

Pakistan, struggling in the morning at 23-2, recovered through Youhanna's gutsy century on his first appearance on Indian soil and a belligerent stand of 99 in 55 minutes between Inzamam and Akram (40).

Some 13,000 security forces personnel in and around the ground dwarfed the 3, 000 spectators, who passed various check-points on adjoining roads before they gained entry to the fortified stadium.

Gun-toting commandos and sniffer dogs guarded the dressing rooms of the two teams, despite the withdrawal of threats by Hindu fundamentalists to disrupt the matches in protest against Pakistan's support for separatists in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

The Pakistanis appeared affected more by lack of match practice than the stifling security, as veteran opener Saeed Anwar departed off the second ball of the match and his partner Wajahatullah Wasti also failed to score.

The 24-year-old Youhanna, who came to the crease in the first over, batted till midway through the afternoon session to make 124 in the team's score of 203-3.

Youhanna hit 21 boundaries and a six to ensure his place in the first Test, especially since the inexperienced Ijaz Ahmed is out with a high fever.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla, an exciting 17-year-old allrounder who also finds a place in India's 14-man Test squad, picked up two wickets with his steady medium-pace.