LAHORE     -    Unbeaten half-centuries by Fawad Alam and Saad Ali had Sindh at 196 for four in 57.5 overs when stumps were drawn on day two of their four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture against Central Punjab at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium.
Sindh had lost four wickets for 72 runs thanks to young fast-bowler Naseem Shah, who accounted for the wickets of Khurram Manzoor (10), Abid Ali (three) and Omair Bin Yousaf (33). Faheem Ashraf was the other bowler to take a wicket as he removed Asad Shafiq, who managed only five runs from his 18-ball stay at the crease.
With the pressure mounting on the visitors, Fawad and Saad knitted an unbeaten 124-run stand for the fifth-wicket which put Sindh’s innings back on track. Fawad, to date, had scored 78 runs from 133 balls with 10 fours, while Saad made 60 off 119 with eight fours.
Earlier, Central Punjab were 313 all-out in 95.5 overs as they added only 50 runs to their overnight score. On Tuesday morning, Faheem led the charge with the bat for the hosts. Resuming his innings at 22, the all-rounder scored 52 not out from 63 balls, cracking seven fours and a six. His overnight partner, Ehsan Adil, added 14 more runs to his score of nine.
With three wickets for 99 runs, Kashif Bhatti was the pick of the bowlers for Sindh, while pacers Sohail Khan, Mir Hamza and Tabish Khan took two wickets each. Both teams bagged three points each as Sindh took nine or more wickets and Central Punjab crossed the 300-run mark in the 110-over cut-off. The third day’s play at Iqbal Stadium will resume at 10.00am today (Wednesday).
KP 150-0 AFTER BALOCHISTAN’S IMRAN HITS DOUBLE TON: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gave Balochistan a spirited reply on the second day. In response to the home team’s 553-8 declared in 145.4 overs, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were 150 for no loss in 34 overs at the close of play as captain Sahibzada Farhan and Israrullah batted on 72 and Israrullah on 71. Farhan, to date, has cracked 10 boundaries in 102 deliveries, while Israrullah’s unbeaten 103-ball knock is laced with 10 fours and a six.
SOUTHERN PUNJAB OFF TO SOLID START AFTER NORTHERN POST 550: Batsmen continue to dominate the four-day during the match between Southern Punjab and Northern. In reply to Northern’s mammoth first innings 550-run total, Southern Punjab finished day two at 102 for one in their first innings. Captain Shan Masood and Sami Aslam (42 not out) defied the Northern bowlers for nearly three hours before Shan’s departure a few minutes before close for 58 (76 balls, seven fours).
SCORES IN BRIEF:
CENTRAL PUNJAB: 313 all-out, 95.5 overs (Kamran Akmal 90, Ahmed Shehzad 60, Faheem Ashraf 52, Usman Salahuddin 38, Ehsan Adil 25; Kashif Bhatti 3-99, Mir Hamza 2-46, Sohail Khan 2-72, Tabish Khan 2-80) vs SINDH: 196-4, 57.5 overs (Fawad Alam 78, Saad Ali 60, Omair Bin Yousaf 33; Naseem Shah 3-55).
NORTHERN: 550 for 6, 124.2 overs (Zeeshan Malik 216, Umar Amin 156, Faizan Riaz 83; Rahat Ali 3-97, Muhammad Abbas 2-86) vs SOUTHERN PUNJAB: 102 for 1, 27 overs (Shan Masood 58, Sami Aslam 42 not out; Noman Ali 1-10).
BALOCHISTAN: 553-8 declared, 145.4 overs (Imran Butt 214, Imran Farhat 134, Bismillah Khan 75, Awais Zia 69; Sajid Khan 3-126, Imran Khan Sr. 2-87) vs KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA 150-0, 34 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 72 not out, Israrullah 71 not out).