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.USA Soccer Gear . Los Angeles star goalie survived those perilous gymnastics with no problem, and he eventually backstopped the Kings to a skid-snapping win. Quick stopped 27 shots in his return from a 24-game injury absence, Jeff Carter scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 to play, and the Kings snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. USA Soccer Store . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. USA Soccer Jerseys 2019 . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. USA Soccer Pro Shop . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery.Mousa Dembele believes Tottenham Hotspur have the mentality to win the title as they head in to the final four games of the season only five points behind Leicester City.Tottenham produced one of the best away performances of the season on Monday night - easing past Stoke City 4-0 - and Dembele thinks Spurs can push Leicester City all the way.This is the situation where you can see if we are ready or not, the Belgium international said. The pressure is there. Everyone knows it will be very difficult, but we play like this so you can see the mentality is there. Everyone wants it and we just manage to keep playing our game.In the past it was very difficult as well. Everyone saw the way we played: confident, direct, creative, positive. Jamie Carragher believes Tottenham are more than capable of winning Premier League titles under Mauricio Pochettino One of the best performances - that says someething.dddddddddddd. We just want it and were not scared of it.Spurs will be buoyed by the suspension of Jamie Vardy who was sent off in Leicesters dramatic 2-2 draw against West Ham but Dembele insists the north London side are focusing on their final four games of the season.Its one of their best players so its good for us of course but we concentrate on our own game, Dembele said of Vardy.Its good everyone is there, nobody is injured. Everyone is mentally ready so thats the most important thing. Harry Kane (right) is congratulated after scoring for Tottenham against Stoke on Monday night Dele Alli who was impressive with two goals on Monday night is optimistic about his sides chances for the rest of the season and assures they will maintain their hard-work right until the final game at Newcastle. We showed what we are all about, Alli said. We wont stop fighting until the end of the season.Stoke is never an easy place to come and it was a strong performance. We created a lot of chances and could have scored a lot more. Its a good statement.Weve been pretty strong all season. Maybe a few games not at our best but weve got a great team here and we do look like were getting stronger.Were a good team and well keep working hard on the training ground.Tottenham will hope they can close the gap between themselves and Leicester when they play West Brom on the Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports 1 from 7pm.Also See:Is it Tottenhams time?Foxes or Spurs? The run-insPochettino: Well keep fightingPremier League predictor ' ' '