Southern Punjab 149 for two in reply of Northern’s 463 for seven
Abdullah Asjad
ISLAMABAD:-Batsmen continued to dominate on the second day of the four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture between Northern and Southern Punjab at Rawalpindi’s KRL Stadium.
Hammad Azam’s sixth first-class century propelled Northern to 463 for seven, scored at an impressive run-rate of 4.22, and, in their reply, the tourists made 149 runs for the loss of two wickets at the back of half-centuries from Umar Siddiq and Zeeshan Ashraf.
Hammad scored an unbeaten 100 after resuming his innings on 48. The all-rounder crafted a 109-run stand for the sixth-wicket with his overnight partner Jamal Anwar, who made 44 from 106 balls. The 28-year-old cracked six fours and two sixes in his 154-ball stay at the crease and also knitted a 66-run partnership with his side’s captain, Nauman Ali (37). The Northern declared their innings with the fall of Nauman’s wicket.
With the scores of 90 and 73 on day one, Umar Amin and Ali Sarfraz had provided impetus to Northern to target an imposing first innings score. Northern bagged five batting points – the maximum – while Southern Punjab managed two points for taking seven wickets. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Irfan returned his second five-wicket haul of the tournament taking five wickets for 158 runs in 38.4 overs.
Southern Punjab, in reply, lost Sami Aslam (nine), top run-getter of the season, early but Umar and Zeeshan stitched a timely 116-run stand until the latter perished for a 101-ball 57 – which was studded with nine boundaries. Opener Umar, who has to date scored 58 from 121 balls and has hit six fours, and Irfan (15) were at the crease when curtains were drawn on the second day’s play. For Northern, Waqas Ahmed and Shadab Khan took a wicket each.
Scores in Brief:
Northern 463-7d, 109.4 overs (Hammad Azam 100 not out, Umar Amin 90, Ali Sarfaraz 73; Mohammad Irfan 5-158)
Southern Punjab 149-2, 42 overs (Umar Siddiq 58 not out, Zeeshan Ashraf 57)
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Tabish takes five to give Sindh advantage over Central Punjab
SB News
KARACHI (November, 19 2019):-Pacer Tabish Khan took a five-wicket haul while Khurram Manzoor and Jahid Ali scored half centuries to give Sindh the upper hand against leaders Central Punjab on day two of the four-day eight round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class match being played at the National Stadium in Karachi on Tuesday.
Sindh enjoyed a slender nine runs lead on the first innings after they ended the day on 255 for four with Fawad Alam (42) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (39) having put on 65 for the unbeaten fifth wicket partnership.
Earlier Tabish took five wickets for 85 to help bowl out Central Punjab for 246 in the morning session. It was Tabish’s 37th five wicket haul in a first-class career of 126 matches and 565 wickets. Punjab had resumed on 216 for seven with Usman Salahuddin on exactly 50 but at the total of 234, Tabish trapped him leg before for 57 from 155 balls, Sohail Khan then dismissed the other overnight batsman, Ehsan Adil for 23 runs. Tabish also picked up the wicket of Waqas Maqsood to end the visitors innings.
Sindh collected full three bowling points for bowling Central Punjab out inside 110 overs, while Central Punjab had to settle for one batting point. Sindh winless in the tournament were given a solid start by openers Khurram (85 from 118 balls) and Jahid (72 from 175 balls) who put on 140 runs.
Khurram in particular after a cautious opened up to play some big shots against the pace bowlers and spinners, Zafar Gohar and off-spinner Bilal Asif who finished with three for 64. But his eagerness to get boundaries also led to Khurram’s downfall when he holed out to long on to give Bilal his first wicket, the right-hander smashed 11 fours and one six. Bilal also bowled Shehzar Mohammad for two to rock the home side and his third victim was Jahid who went after a patient knock bowled by a straight one.
Seasoned pacer, Aizaz Cheema was the only Central Punjab pacer to enjoy success when he had Saad Ali caught behind by Kamran Akmal for seven. The experienced duo of Fawad and captain, Sarfaraz took control in the final session for a productive partnership with the latter hitting five fours in his unbeaten 52 balls innings.
Scores in brief:
Central Punjab 246 all out, 94.3 overs (Kamran Akmal 59, Usman Salahuddin 57, Ahmed Shehzad 48; Tabish Khan 5-85, Anwar Ali 2-27, Sohail Khan 2-51)
Sindh 255 for 4, 72.3 overs (Khurram Manzoor 85, Jahid Ali 72, Fawad Alam 42 not out; Bilal Asif 3-64
