MUMBAI — Javed Khan's teammates celebrated as he picked up the prized England wickets of Jonathan Trott and Jonny Bairstow Saturday but the 22-year-old struggled to raise a smile, knowing that his father was being laid to rest while he played. While most of his Mumbai A teammates spent Friday evening planning how to use the match against England to push for state selection, Khan had been at a city hospital where his father had undergone open heart surgery. Khan's long-time coach, Raju Pathak, said the young bowler had been inconsolable when his father passed away around midnight but decided the best way to honor him would be to play against England. “He was crying the whole night and was in a state of shock,” Pathak told Sunday's Indian Express newspaper. “But this match against England was a big opportunity for him. His father was keen to see him bowl against England. So he did what his father would have wanted him to do.” Khan played two Ranji Trophy matches for Mumbai in 2010 before falling off radar and he is trying to make a comeback. Most of his teammates were unaware of Khan's loss until the bowler sent a text message to one of his friends. Mumbai ‘A' defy England Cheteshwar Pujara and Hiken Shah struck solid knocks Sunday as Mumbai A reached 232-4 in reply to the vising England side's first innings score of 345-9 declared on the second day of their three-day game. Pujara was dismissed by spinner Monty Panesar for 87 in the last session, while Shah was not out on 84 with nine fours and a six off 190 balls.Pujara struck 11 fours during his 184-ball innings. Earlier, the visiting side lost three wickets for only seven runs before declaring its first innings. SA gets good workout South Africa's batsmen got valuable time at the crease ahead of the opening Test against Australia after their three-day match against Australia A petered out to a draw Sunday. The visitors, who had spent almost five sessions in the field as Australia A amassed 480 for seven, batted out the first two sessions of the third and final day before declaring on 277 for six, 203 runs behind. The hosts were expected to face 27 overs from the world's best pace attack in the final session, but both captains decided to end the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground an hour early with Australia A on 13 for one. Sri Lanka beats New Zealand Captain Mahela Jayawardene hit an unbeaten 43 as Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 14 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method in the rain-hit second ODI in Pallekele Sunday. Opting to bat first, New Zealand made 250 for six in its allotted 50 overs with captain Ross Taylor leading the batsmen with 72. He was well supported by BJ Watling (55), Rob Nicol (46) and James Franklin (35 not out). In reply, Sri Lanka reached 118 for three in 22.5 overs when the rain halted play, well above the 104 runs required under the Duckworth/Lewis method. Scores: Sri Lanka 118-3 in 22.5 overs (Jayawardene 43 not out, Dilshan 37; N. McCullum 1-12) def. (New Zealand 250-6 in 50 overs (Ross Taylor 72, BJ Watling 55, Rob Nicol 46; Lasith Malinga 2-39). — Agencies
