Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: Nauman rips through Balochistan batting

RAWALPINDI: Left-arm spinner Nauman Ali (5-52) spun out Balochistan for 301 to give Northern a handy 149 runs first innings lead in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class cricket at the KRL Ground here Monday.

When the stumps were for the penultimate day, Northern further tightened the grip on the match, increasing their lead to 224 with all of their second innings wickets and a day to spare.

The day at the KRL ground belonged to Nauman who with his slow left arm spin reduced Balochistan from 262-5 to 301 all out. Playing his first, first-class season pacer Harris Rauf (3-73) also made his presence felt with some attacking fast bowling.

While opener Imran Butt (59) could add just a run to his overnight total, Asif Zakir (61) held Balochistan innings together smashing nine fours in his 129-ball innings. Abu Bakar’s fifty also helped Balochistan cause.

Batting for the second time, Pindi boy Zeeshan Malik (54 not out) put Balochistan wicket to sword, hitting eight fours and a six during his unbeaten 59-ball innings.

At Abbottabad Ground, wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal (136) scored a fighting century to lead Central Punjab’s fight back against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the third day.

Kamran added 109 runs for the eight wicket with fast-bowler Waqas Maqsood (19) to rescue his side from a shaky 143-7 to their eventual 278-run total. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa however, did not enforce the follow-on and opted to bat again, despite a 206-run first innings lead.

By close of the play, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had reached 30 for the loss of one wicket in their second innings. On Monday, play was suspended for 28 minutes during the morning session due to bad light. Before the disruption, Imran Khan Senior made two crucial breakthroughs, sending back Central Punjab captain Azhar Ali (24) and Saad Nasim (10) to provide Khyber Pakhtun­khwa, the ideal start to the day.

After resumption, Central Punjab also lost Usman Salahuddin (20) as the visitors took lunch at a precarious 107-5.

Post lunch, Central Punjab kept losing wickets with Zafar Gohar (5) and Bilal Asif (16) returning to the pavilion. Kamran took control of the proceedings at this stage as Central Punjab stayed in the hunt with their wicketkeeper’s rear guard action.

Kamran was eventually dismissed for 136, his innings was compiled off 215 balls and included 19 fours and one six.

Right-arm pacer Sameen Gul was the pick of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowlers, Sameen took four wickets for 57 runs, he was ably supported by Imran who took 2-72, Junaid Khan, Umer Khan and Zohaib Khan took a wicket apiece.

Scores in brief: At KRL Ground: Northern 450 all out in 105.4 overs (Faizan Riaz 141, Haider Ali 133, Ali Sarfraz 50, Umar Amin 34; Amad Butt 3-57, Mohammad Asghar 2-62, Taj Wali 2-108, Yasir Shah 2-119) and 75 for no loss in 18 overs (Zeeshan Malik 54 not out). Balochistan 301 all out in 101.5 overs (Asif Zakir 61, Imran Butt 59, Abubakar Khan 50; Nauman Ali 5-52, Haris Rauf 3-73).

At Abbottabad Ground: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 484-5 declared in 133 overs (Ashfaq Ahmed 173, Mohammad Rizwan 128, Adil Amin 58 not out, Israrullah 43; Naseem Shah 2-85, Zafar Gohar 1-85) and 30 for 1 in 9.2 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 17; Naseem Shah 1-5). Central Punjab 278 all out in 78.1 overs ( Kamran Akmal 136, Azhar Ali 24; Sameen Gul 4-57, Imran Khan senior 2-72).

At UBL Complex, Karachi: Southern Punjab 546 all out in 140.2 overs (Aamer Yamin 142, Shan Masood 118, Mohammad Irfan Jr 101, Sohaib Maqsood 57; Fawad Alam 2-63, Tabish Khan 2-101, Sohail Khan 2-102). Sindh 284 all out in 99.1 overs (Asad Shafiq 57, Saad Ali 55 Abid Ali 46, Rahat Ali 4-66, Aamer Yamin 2-26) and after follow-on 58-3 in 20 overs (Omair Bin Yousuf 33 not out; Aamer Yamin 2-23).