ISLAMABAD: Umar Siddiq hit 109 to lead Southern Punjab’s fight back on the final day as their four-day Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class match against Northern ended in a draw at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
Resuming at the overnight score of 76-1, Southern Punjab took the total to 272-4 when it was decided to call stumps early on the final day.
Overnight 39 not out, Umar went on to score a hundred with the help of 13 fours. His innings that lasted 151 balls ensured a draw for Southern Punjab, who were forced to follow on.
In reply to Northern’s 463-7 declared, Southern Punjab were bowled out for 268 in the first innings.
However, in the second innings, their top order played better cricket. Apart from Umar, Zeeshan Ashraf (52) and Sohaib Maqsood (52) also played well.
Leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who was Northern’s most successful bowler in the first innings, could not make any real impression in the second innings, finishing with figures of two for 70 runs.
Scores in brief: At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: Northern 463-7 declared in 109.4 overs (Hammad Azam 100 not out, Umar Amin 90, Ali Sarfaraz 73, Zeeshan Malik 45, Jamal Anwar 44, Faizan Riaz 39, Nauman Ali 37; Mohammad Irfan 5-158). Southern Punjab 268 all out in 81.5 overs (Umar Siddiq 60, Zeeshan Ashraf 57, Adnan Akmal 45; Shadab Khan 3-33, Waqas Ahmad 2-53) and after follow-on 271-4 in 74 overs (Umar Siddiq 107, Zeeshan Ashraf 52, Sohaib Maqsood 52, Abdul Rehman Muzamil 38 not out; Shadab Khan 2-70). Result: Match drawn.
At National Stadium, Karachi: Central Punjab 246 all out in 94.3 overs (Kamran Akmal 59, Usman Sallahuddin 57, Ahmed Shehzad 48; Tabish Khan 5-85, Anwar Ali 2-27, Sohail Khan 2-51) and 499-9 in 125 overs (Kamran Akmal 166, Umar Akmal 122, Salman Butt 83, Zafar Gohar 75; Mohammad Umar 2-87, Anwar Ali 2-89, Tabish Khan 2-137). Sindh 339 all out in 100.4 overs (Khurram Manzoor 85, Jahid Ali 72, Fawad Alam 65, Sarfaraz Ahmed 58; Aizaz Cheema 5-81, Bilal Asif 4-73). Result: Match drawn.