Balochistan lead Northern by 147 runs with two wickets remaining
Abdullah Asjad
Islamabad, 27 November 2019:Bowlers dominated day three of the ninth round four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture between Balochistan and Northern at the UBL stadium as Balochistan were 189 for eight in their second innings.
Thirteen wickets fell on Wednesday as Northern, continuing their first innings, were skittled out for 342 after adding only 45 runs to their overnight score before Nauman Ali and Waqas Ahmed shared Balochistan’s seven out of eight wickets.
In the first session of the day, Balochistan's paceman Taj Wali ripped through the Northern's batting line-up to claim his 15th five-wicket haul in first class cricket.
The left-arm medium-fast took three more wickets on day three to return six wickets for 89 runs in 20.2 overs. Sarmad Bhatti and Jamal Anwar added three and 32 runs, respectively, to their overnight scores.
Sarmad made 86 off 176, hitting nine fours and a six, while Jamal cracked 11 fours in his 93 from 120 balls.
With a deficit of 42 runs, Balochistan's openers failed to provide the desired beginning as both openers Imran Butt (28) and Azeem Ghumman (eight) were back in the dressing room by Lunch. Akbar-ur-Rehman and skipper Imran Farhat consolidated the innings to escort Balochistan to 113 at Tea.
The pair stitched an 84-run partnership for the third wicket with Akbar scoring a 114-ball 41 and Imran recording his 70th first-class half-century with a 114-ball 55.
In the final session of the day, Northern's bowlers came into the act, snapping up quick wickets to squeeze Balochistan. Wicketkeeper-batsman Bismillah Khan put up resistance with 32 not out from 41 balls (4x4s).
Balochistan are 147 runs ahead and will be relying on Bismillah – who is joined by Mohammad Asghar (three) – to help them post a decent target.
Scores in brief:
Balochistan 300 all-out, 90.2 overs (Imran Butt 124, Umar Gul 51, Imran Farhat 32; Sadaf Hussain 4-75, Nauman Ali 3-80) and 189-8, 65 overs (Imran Farhat 55, Akbar-ur-Rehman 41, Bismillah Khan 32 not out; Nauman Ali 4-62, Waqas Ahmed 3-54)
Northern 342 all-out, 86.2 overs (Jamal Anwar 93, Sarmad Bhatti 86, Umar Amin 69; Taj Wali 6-89, Umar Gul 2-61)
