Bureau Report
Karachi: Akbar-ur-Rehman and Ayaz Tasawar posted half-centuries, handing 169-run first innings lead over Northern on day two of their ninth round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture at the UBL Sports Complex on Monday.
Northern’s skipper Nauman Ali recorded his sixth fifer of this season, bowling Balochistan out for 372. He returned six for 107 from 46.1 overs. The 34-year-old left-arm orthodox now has 61 scalps at an average of 21.79.
Balochistan were provided a solid start as their captain Imran Farhat and Ali Rafiq put a 101-run stand for the opening wicket. Imran added 24 runs to his overnight score before he became one of Nauman’s victims on 77.
A firm 139-run alliance for the fourth wicket between Akbar (82 off 155, four fours and five sixes) and Ayaz (69 off 105, nine fours and two sixes) set Balochistan to post an imposing total.
Northern pacer Waqas Ahmed took three wickets for 63 runs, while the remaining wicket was taken by all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz.
Second-ranked Northern will begin their second innings on Tuesday, the penultimate morning of the match.
At the State Bank Stadium, Sindh made a strong comeback after they were bowled out for 217 by Southern Punjab in the first innings.
They dismissed SP for 247 courtesy of four for 81 by Mohammad Asghar.
a consolidated bowling performance from Sindh allowed Southern Punjab a slender 30-run lead and bagged them five bowling points that took their bonus points tally from the match to six.
Left-arm orthodox Mohammad Asghar was the pick of the bowlers with four for 81, while Young pacer Shahnawaz Dhani took three for 67 and veteran fast bowler Tabish Khan took two wickets for 39 runs.
Imran Rafiq was the notable run-getter for SP, scoring 67 from 152 balls while all-rounder Aamer Yamin and Saif Badar scored 35 and 33, respectively.
An 80-run unfinished partnership for the first wicket between Khurram Manzoor (28) and Sharjeel Khan (45) had put Sindh 50 runs ahead before the close of play.
In the broadcast match at National Stadium, Central Punjab’s Saad Nasim became the second batsman from his side to register a century this season as he turned his overnight score of 81 into an undefeated 136 not out against table-toppers Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Saad struck 12 fours and six sixes from the 189 balls he faced in his 275-minute-long stay at the crease, which helped Central Punjab post 351 for seven before Hasan Ali made a brave declaration.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Ali Shan contributed 43 (seven fours). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s pacer Irfanullah Shah dismissed three batsmen for 53 runs.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in reply, were 171 runs behind as they had scored 180 for three from 67 overs.
Adil Amin posted his fourth half-century of the season as he was not out on 50 after Fakhar Zaman (42) and Israrullah (40) contributed 79 for the first wicket. All three wickets were taken by off-spinner Qasim Akram.
On the third morning of the match, Adil will be joined by Zohaib Khan (23 not out) when the play resumes.
