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82, 70, 90, 44, 50, 74 - these are the high points of Sami Aslams seven-match Test career so far. He is averaging 43.45, offering Pakistan what seems like a long-term solution to the opening conundrum they have faced over the years. He possesses everything an opener needs: composure, temperament, and the ability to hold one end up, and has got to double-figures nine times in 12 innings.He always seems to bat with a great degree of sense, but his dismissals often dont make any sense: he was run out in his first innings in England, and in this series, he has been bowled playing a premeditated sweep, bowled again trying to drive a legspinner against the turn, and, on Sunday, caught off the glove playing a reverse-sweep in the first over after tea.In Pakistan, it is considered a crime if you dont convert your fifties into hundreds, and batsmen quickly earn reputations if they keep doing it. Club cricketers grow up with this thought drilled into them, and unconverted starts are often a cause for batsmen to get dropped at grassroots level.Aslam was prolific at the Under-19 level, and is currently the second highest run scorer in U-19 ODI history with 1695 runs at 45.81. He has the most hundreds at that level, six. He is also the third-fastest batsman anywhere to 2000 List A runs. He was captain of the Pakistan U-19 side when they toured England in 2013, and made two centuries in the tri-series then, including 110 in the final against England, before catching the eye with another hundred in a victory over India in the 2013-14 Under-19 Asia Cup.Outside Test cricket, Aslam has seven hundreds and only four fifties, suggesting the issue of not converting starts is a new one.On day one in Sharjah, Aslam showed exactly why the selectors have rated him highly and shown patience with him even while he has struggled to convert his starts. His temperament was key - he wasnt expansive, but showed plenty of resilience to get through a tough situation, hanging on through a difficult first hour in which Shannon Gabriel removed Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq for ducks. It left Pakistan 2 for 1, and Aslam, only 20, carried on to make 74. It was an innings of many good qualities, but at the end of the day, particularly after a late collapse saw Pakistan go from 230 for 4 to 248 for 8, the entire media contingent was talking only about his failed reverse-sweep and raising questions about his conversion rate.Aslam didnt try to offer any rationale behind the enigma surrounding his unconverted starts. He said it was a combination of bad luck and, on occasion, his own shot selection letting him down.The way I started as an opener, the kind of start I got, I think I should have converted my good start into a big score, he said at the end of the first days play, with Pakistan 255 for 8. If you look at my record back home in domestic cricket, I have more hundreds and have a good conversion rate so I am disappointed that I am not able make it here.There is no concentration lapse. If you see, I am scoring good runs, but I think bad shots are stopping me from getting a triple-figure score. Also this is my seventh Test, and if you recall, in England once I got run out, once I was unlucky, so I dont think there is any nervousness surrounding my batting. Its about me playing an ugly shot. I obviously think about scoring 100 after 50 but there is no pressure as such. I just think about scoring big runs but I think batsmen make mistakes and improve with very passing day, so I am trying to minimise my mistakes.Since the outfield is heavy, you have to play shots, and in the process batsmen do make mistakes in the rush. But at the same time you have to get runs and you can only do it by taking chances, otherwise its difficult to score runs.During the course of his innings, Aslam had his first major partnerships with Younis Khan - 106 for the third wicket in 36.3 overs - and was involved in a mix-up early on while running between the wickets. Younis has the reputation of being a father-figure in the dressing room and a calming influence on youngsters.It was great batting with him, Aslam said. It was my first major partnership with him and during the mix up he didnt scold me but gave me some advice about running between the wickets.Rafael Marquez Jersey . "I dont know that were close," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I just think, right now, the acquisition cost just doesnt work for us right now. I dont know if I can quantify how far off or things like that that they might be but I would say we continue to have dialogue. Hector Moreno Jersey . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. http://www.soccermexicojerseysteamstore.com/andres-guardado-mexico-jersey/ . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Javier Hernandez Jersey . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. Edson Alvarez Jersey . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half.ST. LOUIS -- Nail Yakupov and Magnus Paajarvi are reunited and it feels so good.Yakupov had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen made several big saves as the St. Louis Blues beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Thursday night.Alexander Steen and Paajarvi also scored for St. Louis. Patrik Berglund had two assists and Allen made 18 saves for the Blues, who have won four of their past five home openers.Ryan Suter and Charlie Coyle scored for the Wild, who were 4-0-1 in their previous five season openers.St. Louis acquired Yakupov, a former first overall draft pick by Edmonton in 2012, from the Oilers in a trade on Oct. 7. Placed on a line with Paajarvi, whom he played with in Edmonton, and Berglund, they totaled five points against the Wild.I was nervous a little bit, the first time to play in this building with a new team, it does add a little pressure, Yakupov said. But I think we did pretty good as a line, had a good couple of shifts and got our legs going.Yakupov put the Blues ahead 2-1 on his first career slap shot goal at 12:36 of the second. The shot went off Devan Dubnyks glove and floated over his shoulder into the net.Hes got a great wrister, but obviously the slapper was a good one today, Paajarvi said. Hes quick and his shot is quick.Dubnyk didnt see the shot off the blade.It was right at my ear so I caught a pretty good piece of it and anytime you get a piece of something you would like to have a little bit more of it, Dubnyk said. I was happy with where I was on the play and next time Ill catch it.Yakupov found Paajarvi as the last man on a 3-on-2 rush to give the Blues a 3-1 lead early in the third.I had a decision where Im going to shoot or I have to find a seam, Yakupov said. I think I made a really good decision to pass to Maggy. Sometimes you have to take risks to make a new step.Steens goaal came off an unintended assist by Robby Fabbri, who had lost control of the puck while making a move to the net.dddddddddddd Steen snapped the loose puck past Dubnyk to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.The Blues outshot the Wild 14-2 in the first period, but Allen came up big on the Wilds first shot of the game making a pad save on a short-handed partial break by Jason Zucker just over eight minutes into the game.Some moments where I didnt have shots for 10 minutes and then I get a break away, but thats my job to be ready when they come after me, said Allen, who was playing in his first home opener.Suter drew the Wild even three minutes into the second period. A turnover by Kevin Shattenkirk allowed Suter to break in and after Allen made the initial save he was able to bury the rebound.Allen kept the game even robbing Eric Staal on a breakaway seven minutes into the second period. Allen came up big five minutes later when Staal found Zach Parise alone in the slot on a 2-on-1.Dubnyk had 28 saves.Game notesBlues F Jaden Schwartz (elbow) missed his second game. ... Blues associate coach Mike Yeo went 173-132-44 as the Wilds head coach from 2011 until last February. ... Blues assistant coach Rick Wilson was an assistant with Minnesota from 2010 through the end of last season. ... Wild assistant coach Scott Stevens played for the Blues in the 1990-91 season. ... The Blues are celebrating their 50th season and five members of their inaugural team -- Fred Hucul, Bill McCreary, Norm Beaudin, Larry Keenan and Bob Plager -- took part in the pregame ceremony.UP NEXT:Wild: Have their home opener against Winnipeg on Saturday at 6 p.m.Blues: Host the New York Rangers on Saturday at 7 p.m. ' ' '