SSGC crush Lahore Blues in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

PESHAWAR: Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) romped to their third straight win to displace holders WAPDA from the top spot in Pool A when they overwhelmed Lahore Blues by eight wickets on the fourth and final day of their Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Thursday.

The win took SSGC to the group summit with 27 points, three points ahead of WAPDA who had for the first time in history won the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy last season.

After having faced first innings deficit of 114, Lahore Blues resumed their second innings at 143-4 and were bundled out for 230 in 89.3 overs to give SSGC a target of 117 which they achieved in the 26th over for the loss of two wickets. Reza Ali Dar hammered 71 off 166 balls, smashing five fours while Waqas Saleem hit 52 off 40 balls, cracking five fours. Farhan Khan remained not out on 36 which came off 77 balls and had four fours. Left-arm young pacer Zia-ul-Haq got 4-55, for match-haul of 6-110. Azhar Attari claimed 3-51 and international all-rounder Aamer Yamin grabbed 3-57, for 9-101.                 

Later, Zain Abbas made the chase easier for SSGC as he chipped in with a 43-ball 45, hitting seven fours and one six. Adil Amin, a highly-talented young cricketer, made 26 not out. Lahore Blues piled up 291 in their first innings. In response, SSGC were all out for 405.

Meanwhile in another Pool A match at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Peshawar recorded their first win when they overpowered National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) by 96 runs, second defeat for the bankers.

Chasing 345, NBP resumed their second innings at 171-6 and folded for 248 in 78.3 overs. Young all-rounder Kamran Ghulam blasted 72 off 98 balls. Dir Upper-born cricketer smashed ten fours and one six in his gritty knock. Ali Asad hit 44 with five fours while Faizan Khan made 31 which contained three fours. Israrullah (4-27) and off-spinner from Sindh Nasir Awais (4-69) did the main damage.  Israr, also a spinner, finished the outing with 7-45, a fine effort.

Peshawar posted 264 and 334 while NBP accumulated 254 in their first innings.

In a Pool A clash at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad, former champions Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) pulled off their third victory to occupy third place in their group with 18 points when they overwhelmed Faisalabad by 173 runs.

In pursuit of a stiff target of 341, Faisalabad perished for 167 with Asif Ali top-scoring with 61. The right-handed batsman banged five fours and three sixes in his 114-ball knock.

Test cricketer Iftikhar Ahmed, who is a part-time bowler, mainly off-spinner, sizzled with the ball by clinching 6-39, his career-best figures.

Earlier, after having gained a 104-run lead, SNGPL declared their second innings at the overnight score of 272-8 to set a fighting target for the opposition.

SNGPL made 241 in their first innings. In response, Faisalabad posted 173.

In a Pool B encounter, Rawalpindi registered their second win when they defeated PTV by 156 runs at Pindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi.

Set to score 267, PTV perished for 110 in the 39th over. Mohammad Irfan Senior hit 39 off 49 balls, which featured seven fours. Fast bowler Ataullah got 5-29, for an excellent match-tally of 12-121. Earlier, after having faced a six-run first innings deficit, Rawalpindi resumed their second innings at 265-8 and folded for 272. Rizwan Akbar, fast bowler, got 5-56.Rawalpindi posted 251 in their first innings. In response, PTV piled up 257.