KARACHI: Sarmad Bhatti and Umer Amin recorded a solid 140-run partnership for Northern, helping the side post 319 in the first inning of their ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) fixture at UBL Sports Complex here on Tuesday.
Northern resumed their innings at 136/2, but Sarmad and Amin were unable to extend their partnership, adding only 22 runs on the second day. Mir Hamza castled Amin on the 78. Faizan Riaz was sent back to the pavilion on a duck shortly after, as the side quickly slumped to 158/4.
The side began to lose wickets at an alarming rate, however, Sarmad stood firm at one end. The left-handed batter went onto score a brilliant hundred, top-scored for his side with 145, laced with 16 boundaries and two sixes.
With no significant contribution from the rest of the batters. Northern were eventually bowled out for 319, taking a massive 221-run lead against Sindh.
For Sindh, Tabish Khan bagged fifer, while Sohail Khan took three wickets. Hamza and Muhammad Asghar shared a wicket apiece.
Trailing by 221-run, Sindh openers provided a solid start to the side, with 74-run opening partnership. The pair seemed in top-notch before Ahsan Ali was sent back to the pavilion on 44.
Khurram Manzoor (33*) and Omair Bin Yousuf (19*) will resume the inning for Sindh at 105/1 on day-three.
In the first match of on-going eighth round, Balochistan’s all-rounder, Kashif Bhatti put the side in commanding position against Central Punjab on day-two.
Balochistan resumed their innings at 283-5, the side could not add much to their overnight score and were eventually bowled out for 325. Kashif scored a brilliant half-century, scoring 53 off 82 deliveries, laced with seven boundaries, and a six.
Zafar Gohar bagged a five-wicket haul. Bilawal Iqbal and Hussain Talat each took two wickets, while Imran Dogar dismissed a batter.
Central got off to a solid start in response to Balochistan’s 325, with the openers putting together a solid 78-run partnership. Before Imran was dismissed on 23.
However, Rizwan Hussain and Ali Zaryab played sensible knocks for the side. Ali scored 48 laced with eight boundaries, while Rizwan smashed a brilliant 50 including seven boundaries.
Soon after, the side began to lose wickets, and in the end, were slipped to 178/5 at stumps on day-two.
Kashif bagged four wickets, while Raza-Ul-Hassan dismissed a batter.
Saif Badar (37*) and Ali Shah (6*) will resume the proceedings for Central at 178/5 on day-three.
In the third match of the ongoing round of QEAT, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resumed at their overnight score of 45/2. The side were off to a shaky start as their third wicket fell at a combine score of 46.
However, important contributions from the side’s middle-order took them to a decent total of 281 in first innings. Sahibzada Farhan scored 60 off 127 balls laced with six boundaries and a six. Arshad Iqbal smashed 62 off 102 deliveries, including nine boundaries.
Muhammad Ilyas took four wickets for Southern. Whereas, Amir Yamin and Salman Ali Agha each bagged three wickets.
Trailing by 115-run, Southern openers provided a decent start to the side as the pair put on an unbeaten 40-run partnership at the stumps on day-two.
Tayyab Tahir (11*) and Umar Siddiq (29*) will resume the proceedings for Southern on day-three.
