LAHORE: Southern Punjab found themselves in a spot of bother against Northern at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, as they trailed by 117 -- after follow-on -- at the close of the third day of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022-23.
Southern Punjab managed only 269 in 86.2 overs after Northern posted a mammoth 529 for five the previous day as no batter, except Zain Abbas who made a fighting 120 in 229 balls (15 fours and a six), put up a fight.
Zain was one of the wickets of Northern captain Nauman Ali in the first innings as the left-arm orthodox got four for 73. Youngsters Musa Khan and Mehran Mumtaz took two wickets each for 51 and 63, respectively.
Southern Punjab, 143 for two, will resume their second innings with Usman Salahuddin and Imran Rafiq unbeaten on 40 and 34. All-rounder Mubasir Khan, who smashed 170 not out, accounted for both openers - Umar Siddiq (35) and Zain (32).
Northern, after bowling out Southern Punjab inside 100 overs, have now accumulated nine points (five points for crossing the 400-run barrier in 100 overs batting first, three for taking eight or more wickets and one for bowling out the opposition under 300).
At the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Fawad Alam scored his 42nd first-class century, returning unbeaten on 127 as Sindh mustered 368 all out in reply to Central Punjab’s 428. The left-handed middle-order batter smashed 14 fours in his 186-ball innings. Sarfaraz Ahmed (78 off 124, eight fours) fell 22 runs short of a century as Mohammad Ali, who took four wickets for 84 runs, dismissed him.
Central Punjab, 170 for four in the second innings, had stretched their lead to 230 with double-centurion of the previous innings Abdullah Shafique 72 not out off 151. Abdullah had the company of Tayyab Tahir, who is unbeaten on 61, gathered in 115 balls. The two have added 111 runs for the fifth wicket.
Balochistan added four more points to make it eight after bowling out Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 291 in 85.4 overs at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. Kamran Ghulam, undefeated overnight, scored 102 off 171 and Khalid Usman, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa captain, made 43 off 87. Balochistan’s Khurram Shahzad picked up four wickets for 67.
Balochistan had an imposing lead of 289 as they closed the day on 107 for four.
Scores in brief:
Northern 529-5d, 133 overs (Mubasir Khan 170 not out, Abdul Faseeh 151, Umar Amin 89, Sarmad Bhatti 81; Hassan Khan 3-94, Ali Usman 2-143)
Southern Punjab 269 all out, 86.2 overs (Zain Abbas 120, Salman Ali Agha 36, Hassan Khan 34; Nauman Ali 4-73, Musa Khan 2-51, Mehran Mumtaz 2-63) and 143-2, 45 overs (Usman Salahuddin 40 not out, Umar Siddiq 35, Imran Rafiq 34 not out, Zain Abbas 32; Mubasir Khan 2-40)