KARACHI: Last season’s runners-up WAPDA were in deep trouble against holders Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) as Test seamer Mohammad Abbas bowled lethally on the third day of their four-day Super Eight stage first round Group I outing of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy here at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Ground on Friday.
Chasing a daunting target of 399, WAPDA were gasping at 120-4 in their second innings at close.Mohammad Akhlaq hit 44 off 47 balls, striking six fours before being bowled by Bilawal Bhatti.At close, discarded Test stumper Kamran Akmal was batting on 40. With him at the other end was skipper Salman Butt on 18. Kamran had smacked five fours from 46 balls. Salman had hit three fours in his 48-ball unfinished effort.
Abbas (3-28) blew the top order to put WAPDA under pressure. Earlier, Abbas took 6-42 in 15.5 overs to dismiss WAPDA for only 160 after resuming their first innings at 121-6 in response to SNGPL’s first innings total of 371.
Kamran Akmal fell for 50 after adding only four runs to his overnight score. Kamran smashed six fours from 73 deliveries. Wahab Riaz (20) and highly experienced first-class cricketer Amir Sajjad (19) also struggled in the end to reduce the deficit of their team which eventually conceded a huge 211-run lead.
Abbas was ably backed by his new-ball partner Musa Khan with figures of 3-39 in 12 overs.After gaining a huge lead, SNGPL then declared their second innings at 187-3 to set a tough target for WAPDA.
Test opener Azhar Ali chipped in with a solid 72 which he scored from 122 balls. Azhar, who recently retired from one-day cricket, smashed five fours and one six. The former Pakistan captain shared 46 for the opening stand with Imran Butt (28) and then added 50 for the second wicket with Khurram Shezad (28).
Left-arm international spinner Zulfiqar Babar got 2-67, for a match-tally of 6-167.Meanwhile in the other Group I outing here at the NBP Sports Complex, talented batsman Jaahid Ali blasted a fine unbeaten 123 to guide Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) to 287-7 in their second innings against Lahore Blues after having gained a four-run first inning lead.
Karachi-born 23-year old Jaahid smashed 12 fours and one six in his unfinished knock. This is the second first-class hundred for Jaahid in 39th outing.He added 107 runs for the third wicket partnership with skipper Usman Arshad who hammered 65 off 98 balls, having smacked nine fours.
After Rameez removed Usman with his leg-spin, KRL kept losing wickets at regular interval. However, it was Jaahid who was fighting a lone battle. Nauman Ali near the end of the day’s play provided good support to Jaahid by scoring 28 off 34 balls. Nauman smashed seven fours in his supportive knock.
Spinners Zafar Gohar (2-97), Mohammad Rameez (2-58) and Saad Nasim (2-52) bowled well.In Group II fixture here at Southend Club Ground, after having gained a 73-run lead, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) were folded for 178 in their second innings to set a target of 252 for Peshawar who are yet to begin their chase.
Umar Amin top-scored with 46 which came off 66 balls. The discarded international hammered nine fours. Mohammad Amir made valuable 33 off 52 balls, striking three forus and one six.
Asif Zakir scored 27 with two fours.
Paceman Mohammad Ilyas was the real destroyer as he picked 5-44 in 15.2 overs to finish the game with 9-113.
Left-arm pacer Nasir Ahmed claimed 3-34.Earlier, in response to SSGC’s first innings total of 376, Peshawar resumed their innings at 248-6 and were bowled out for 303. Stumper Gohar fell for 86 after adding only four runs to his overnight score. He struck 12 fours and one six in his 154-ball effort.
Zahid Mehmood chipped in with 34 off 70 balls which has three hits to the fence.Young medium pacer Mohammad Irfan got 4-71. He was ably supported by speedster Ahmed Jamal (3-53) and Test pacer Mohammad Amir (2-47).
