JON Holland’s heroic efforts (5-79) on the final day went in vain as Pakistan-A clung onto a tense draw in the practice game at the ICC Academy in Dubai yesterday.

Having piled on the runs and misery, Australia declared overnight with a lead of 216. The task was straightforward for the Pakistan-A batsmen, leaving with 3 sessions and a minimum of 90 overs to survive.

Opener Shan Masood took the aggressive route to put the Aussie new-ball bowlers under pressure, while his partner at the other end, Sami Aslam remained watchful in his stay at the crease, as they saw off the new ball without any hassle, putting on a 50-run opening stand.

Australian captain Tim Paine turned to spin in search of a breakthrough and the move worked immediately. Holland snuffed out Masood for 41 while Aslam perished in the very next over to Neser leaving Pakistan-A in a tricky position at 55-2.

Then skipper Asad Shafiq and Abid Ali took centre-stage, showed good resistance and steered their team to safety at lunch.

The doggedness continued in the second session from both batsmen as they reached their respective fifties before Lyon removed Abid Ali, thereby breaking the 84-run stand for the third wicket. Iftikhar Ahmed joined his skipper and eased through to tea.

However, the Australian bowlers, led by Holland, went full-throttle in the final session to trigger a collapse, rattling the opposition by taking 4 wickets for 44 runs and outclassed Lyon, staking his claim for a place in the team for the first Test.

With the pitch crumbling and the natural light fading, Mohammad Rizwan and Wahab Riaz played out the tense final moments to settle for a draw.

Brief scores: Pakistan A 278 (Abid Ali 85; Nathon Lyon 8-103) and 261-7 (Asad Shafiq 69, Abid Ali 52; Jon Holland 5-79) drew with Australia A 494-4 (Mitchell Marsh 162, Shaun Marsh 94; Waqas Maqsood 2-66, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-149).