Hasan slams superb century to rescue Sindh

KARACHI: Stumper Mohammad Hasan slammed a superb century to rescue Sindh on the first day of their Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match against Southern Punjab here at SBP Ground on Sunday.

Sindh were gasping at 38-5 when Hasan took the responsibility and hammered 111 to enable the hosts to post 217 all out in their first innings in 64.4 overs. Hasan was ably backed by left-handed batsman Saad Ali (79). The two added 173 runs for the sixth wicket.

Hasan hammered 17 fours from 140 deliveries in his sixth first-class century, which came in his 96th game. Saad smashed ten fours in his 174-ball fantastic feat.

Khurram Manzoor, Omair bin Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, Tabish Khan, Mohammad Asghar and Shahnawaz Dhani failed to open their accounts.

Aamer Yamin (3-31), Zia-ul-Haq (3-63) and leggie Zahid Mahmood (3-49) did the main damage.

In response, Southern Punjab were 41-1 in 17.4 overs with Zain Abbas batting on 25 and Mohammad Ilyas yet to open his account.

Skipper Umar Siddiq (14) was the only man out, dislodged by Shahnawaz Dhani (1-6 in 5.4 overs). He faced 52 balls and hit one four and one six.

At National Stadium, Hafiz Saad Nasim (81*) and Mohammad Saad (78) did a solid job to enable holders Central Punjab to reach 267-5 in their first innings in 90 overs against table toppers Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The fourth-wicket stand between Hafiz Saad and Mohammad Saad produced 68 runs. Hafiz Saad had hammered seven fours and three sixes in his 132-ball unfinished knock. Mohammad Saad, who hit seven fours and one six from 176 balls, earlier put on 106 valuable runs for the third wicket with Usman Salahuddin (53) after Central Punjab lost their openers Ali Zaryab and Mohammad Akhlaq without opening their accounts. Usman struck four fours in his 128-ball fifty.

Irfanullah Shah, Sameen Gul, Arshad Iqbal and off-spinner Sajid Khan got one wicket each.

At the UBL Sports Complex, second-placed Northern were skittled out for only 203 in their first innings against Balochistan.

It was a poor day for Northern as they failed to build any major partnership and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Ali Sarfraz top-scored with 38 off 62 balls, hammering four fours. Mohammad Nawaz (26), Waqas Ahmad (26), Sarmad Bhatti (25) and Mubasar Khan (25) were the other main contributors.

Left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti was the pick of the bowlers with 5-75 in 28 overs. Off-spinner Raza-ul-Hasan got 3-67 in 18 overs.

Balochistan were 92 without loss in response at close. Skipper Imran Farhat was at the crease on 53 and with him at the other end was Ali Rafiq on 29.

Farhat, playing his last season, had smashed nine fours from 93 balls. Ali had faced 72 balls and struck three fours.