QAT: Abid hammers career-best 249

LAHORE: Career-best unbeaten 249 by Abid Ali for Sindh, Muhammad Rizwan’s ninth first-class century in Northern’s spirited reply against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while Sami Aslam became 12th batsman to carry bat in a first-class match at Gaddafi Stadium were the main features of the day two of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy matches on Sunday.

A career-best 249 not out by opener Abid Ali kept Sindh in the driver’s seat against Balochistan on the second day of the four-day first-class fixture at the UBL Sports Complex on Sunday.

Sindh were 301-3 in 110 overs, which gave them three bonus points – as per the newly-introduced playing conditions in the first-class cricket. When stumps were drawn for the day, the visitors had reached nine for no loss with Imam-ul-Haq and Azeem Ghumman batting on nine and six.

For Balochistan, Yasir Shah did bulk of the bowling and finished with figures of 47-6-127-3. Khurram Shahzad and Imran Farhat picked up a wicket each, conceding 46 and 51 runs, respectively. By picking up only five wickets, Balochistan got only one bonus point. At Gaddafi Stadium here in Lahore, Southern Punjab’s Sami Aslam scored an eye-catching double-century to help his team to 467 all-out in their first innings on the second day of the four-day first-class match against Central Punjab. The left-handed opener added 92 runs to his overnight score and remained not out on 243, thus, becoming only the 12th batsman to carry bat in the first-class cricket at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

Sami struck 30 exquisite fours and a six in his epic 601-minute innings during which he received 401 balls.

Although Adnan Akmal, who had started the day with Sami in their team’s overnight score of 291 for four, became Waqas Maqsood’s fourth victim very early on the second day, this had no bearing on Southern Punjab’s innings, thanks to a blistering 64 by Aamer Yamin.

Waqas, who had taken three wickets in the first session of the match yesterday, remained the pick of the bowlers from his side, finishing with four for 83.

Hasan Ali, who picked up Southern Punjab’s last two wickets, finished with three wickets and gave away 100 runs. Only 18 overs were sent down in Central Punjab’s innings as bad-light put an 85-minute interruption in their innings. Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shehzad added 30 runs after play resumed to take their side to 47 with no loss at stumps.

At Abbottabad, Northern gave a spirited reply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s mammoth first-innings total in their first round match.

Riding on a brilliant 176 from captain Muhammad Rizwan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa declared their first innings on 526 for nine in 136.4 overs. The home side had crossed the 400-run mark inside 110 overs, which bagged them five bonus points. Northern, in reply, were 109 for the loss of just one wicket at stumps on the second day of the four-day, first-class fixture.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa began Sunday’s proceedings at the overnight score of 343-4. Rizwan continued from where he left off on Saturday evening, completing his ninth first-class century in the first hour.

Summarised scores of the matches: At Gaddafi Stadium Lahore: Southern Punjab 467 all-out in 134 overs (Sami Aslam 243, Adnan Akmal 113, Aamer Yamin 64; Waqas Maqsood 4-83, Hasan Ali 3-100, Bilal Asif 2-116) Central Punjab 47-0, 18 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 22 not out, Azhar Ali 20)

At Abbottabad Stadium: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 526-9 declared, 136.4 overs (Muhammad Rizwan 176, Ashfaq Ahmed 106, Adil Amin 73, Iftikhar Ahmed 35, Fakhar Zaman 33, Sahibzada Farhan 29; Shadab Khan 4-151) Northern 109-1, 40 overs (Haider Ali 56 not out, Afaq Raheem 25, Umar Amin 20 not out)

At Karachi: Sindh 473-5d, 169.5 overs (Abid Ali 249 not out, Khurram Manzoor 105, Sarfaraz Ahmed 44 not out, Asad Shafiq 37; Yasir Shah 3-127) Balochistan 16-0, eight overs.