ISLAMABAD: Zafar Gohar (4-36) and Ehsan Adil’s (3-15) brilliant bowling spells bundled out Northern for just 114, leaving Central with the option of forcing the follow-on In the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy match at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad.
In response to huge 433 by Central, Northern found going tough against some accurate spin bowling of Zafar and attacking pace of Ehsan. Both had hey day on the pitch that was gripping the ball. None of the Northern batsmen could face both with ease. Haider Ali (11), Umar Amin (12), Rohail Nazir (6), Hammad Azam (4) played some poor shots to get out. Raza Hasan (20) turned out to be the top scorer. For the second match running Northern faced prospects of follow on.
Earlier, Azhar Ali (155) went on to hit a big hundred as did Kamran Akmal (157) on the opening day. Azhar smashed 13 boundaries in his 262 ball knock. Nauman Ali (4-104) and Musa Khan (3-78) turned out to pick of bowlers for the Central.
At Bugti Stadium Quetta Umar Siddiq and Imran Rafiq put on an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 110 runs to lead a fight-back for Southern Punjab against Balochistan. Replying to the home team’s huge first innings score of 500-9 declared in 130.5 overs, Southern Punjab ended the second day at the Bugti Stadium on 161-3 in 41 overs. They still trail by 339 runs. The left-handed batting pair of Umar and Imran pulled their team out of trouble after they were reduced to 51-3 in the 15th over.
Umar, who was unbeaten on 67 and had smashed nine fours and a six, and Imran, 56 not out with the help of 11 fours, batted when the stumps were drawn on the second day’s play.
Southern Punjab suffered early blows when they lost captain Shan Masood (6) and last match’s double century-maker Sami Aslam (20) with just 37 runs on the board. Things worsen for the visitors when Sohaib Maqsood (10) was run out before Umar and Imran steadied ship.Umar Gul and Yasir Shah were the two wicket takers for Balochistan as they picked up a wicket each.
At UBL Sports Complex An unbeaten 92-run partnership between Ashfaq Ahmed and Adil Amin took pressure off Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as they were 97 for two in their reply of Sindh’s mammoth 476 for nine. Right-arm medium-fast bowlers Sohail Khan and Tabish Khan struck early in the second innings of the match to reduce the visiting party to five for two before Ashfaq and Adil weathered the storm.
Ashfaq was batting on 28 from 75 balls and Adil, who hit nine fours and a six in the 98 balls he faced, had 63 runs next to his name when the stumps were drawn on the second day’s play.
Resuming their day on the overnight score of 254 for two, Sindh lost wickets at regular intervals, thanks to Sameen Gul (20-7-50-3) and Adil Amin (28-1-81-5). Omair Bin Yousuf, adding 41 runs to his overnight score, hit a 298-ball 174 with 18 fours and three sixes. Captain Asad Shafiq scored his career’s 43rd first-class half-century with a 154-ball 81 that had seven fours and a six.
A solid century by Fawad Alam put Sindh in control of the innings. The 33-year-old hit an unbeaten 100 from 138 balls, embellished by eight fours and a six, and knitted an undefeated 108-run stand for the last wicket with fast-bowler Mir Hamza (15).
Sindh were awarded four batting points for being at 355 for the loss of seven when 110 overs of their first innings were completed, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa got two points.
Scores in brief: Central Punjab 433 all out in 107.5 overs (Kamran Akmal 157, Azhar Ali 110 not out, Saad Nasim 31, Naman Ali 4-104, Musa Khan 3-78)
Northern Association 114 all out in 60.3 overs ( Raza Hasan 20, Zafar Gohar 4-36, Ehsan Adil 3-15, Bilal Asif 2-13)
At Bugti Stadium Quetta: Balochistan 500 for 9 declared in 130.5 overs (Azeem Ghuman 163, Imran Farhat 117, Imran Butt 66, Ahmad Butt 54, Mohammad Irfan Jr 5-131, Bilawal Bhatti 2-109).
Southern Punjab 161 for 3 in 41 overs (Umar Saddiq 67 not out, Imran Rafiq 56 not out, Umar Gul 1-7)
At UBL Sports Complex Karachi: Sindh 446 for 9 dec in 148.5 overs against KPK (Omair bin Yousaf 174, Fawad Alam 100*, Asad Shafique 81, Khurram Manzoor 40, Adil Amin 5-81, Sameen Gul 3-50).
KP 97 for 2 in 31 overs (Adil Amin 63 not out, Sohail Khan 1-22)