ZTBL off to solid start in Patron’s Trophy G-II final

ISLAMABAD: ZTBL got off to solid start in a bid to win the Patron’s Trophy Grade II and to re-enter the first class cricket next season, hitting up 293 in the first innings against Ghani Glass at the Pindi Stadium Saturday. Ghani Glass put ZTBL in to bat in a title decider on a wicket that looked supporting one. Soon ZTBL found Bankers reeling at 27 for 3 when local lad Aaqib Shah (72) together with Shakil Ansar (52) started repairing job. Both raised 106 runs for the fourth wicket to take ZTBL out of wood. Aaqib smashed eight boundaries during his 140-ball knock. Then it was left to skipper Saad Naseem (71) to give the total a real respectability. He hit eight fours during his 83-ball stay at the wicket and was last man to lose his wicket for ZTBL innings. His innings helped Bankers add useful runs at a time when schedule 83 overs of the first innings were running out. For Ghani Glass pacer Mohammad Umar (4-120) bowled well earlier on while leg spinner Husnain Bukhari (3-41) showed his skills well. Ghani Glass reached 10 for 1 in nine possible overs on the opening day.

Score: ZTBL 293 all out in 78.1 overs (Aaqib Shah 72, Saad Naseem 71, Shakil Ansar 52, Raza Ali Dar 26, Mohammad Umar 4-120, Husnain Bukhari 3-41, Ulfat Shah 2-58). Ghani Glass 10 for 1 (Zeeshan Ashraf 4 not out, Yousaf Baber 4 not out, Hamza Nadeem 1-2).