Umar, Salman put Central Punjab in control

LAHORE: Umar Akmal scored his first hundred of the season and Salman Butt produced a fighting knock to put Central Punjab in control against Sindh on day-three of their four-day eighth round Quaid-i-Azam Trophy (QAT) first-class game at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday.

Umar (117 from 122 balls) and Salman (81 from 154 balls) produced an unbeaten third wicket stand of 185 runs to give their team an overall lead of 114 runs. When stumps were drawn Central Punjab were 207 for two in their second innings.

Umar who had scored four half centuries this season didn’t spare any bowler as he raced to his 16th career century from just 85 balls with the help of 14 fours and three sixes. Left-handed Salman who fought with a bruised thumb in his left hand battled on as he also reached the 34th fifty of his first-class career.

The visitors found themselves in a strong position on a result-oriented pitch thanks to a five-wicket haul by the experienced Aizaz Cheema who finished with five for 81 runs to wrap up the Sindh first innings for 339 runs soon after lunch. Sindh resuming on 255 for four fell apart once Aizaz broke a 93 runs stand between Sarfaraz and Fawad Alam.

Meanwhile, Sindh secured three batting points for posting 339 inside 110 overs; Central Punjab took the full three bowling points on offer by dismissing the hosts inside 110 overs.

Scores in brief: Central Punjab 246 all out in 94.3 overs (Kamran Akmal 59, Usman Salahuddin 57, Ahmed Shehzad 48; Tabish Khan 5-85, Anwer Ali 2-27, Sohail Khan 2-51) and 207 for 2 in 49.1 overs (Umar Akmal 117*, Salman Butt 81* M Umar 2-42). Sindh 339 all out in 100.4 overs (Khurram Manzoor 85, Jahid Ali 72, Fawad Alam 65, Sarfaraz Ahmed 58; Aizaz Cheema 5-81, Bilal Asif 4-73.