KARACHI: Ather Mahmood and Kashif Ali shared 14 wickets to help Northern beat table-toppers Sindh by an innings and 39 runs in the eighth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) here at UBL Sports Complex.
Following on the first innings total of Northern, Sindh were bowled out for 182 runs thanks to Ather who took four wickets, and Kashif who bagged three.
Khurram Manzoor and Ahsan Ali provided good start to Sindh after they were enforced a follow-on. Khurram scored 39 whereas Ahsan made 44 before walking off. Omair Bin Yousuf fought hard and scored 52 runs with the help of three boundaries.
But, it was bowlers’ day at UBL as they managed to get a complete haul of Sindh. Apart from Ather and Kashif, Mohammad Musa and Zaid Khan shared two wickets each. In the first innings, Ather and Kashif bagged as many wickets as the second innings respectively.
In the first match of the on-going eighth round, Central Punjab bowlers put the side on driving seat against Balochistan.
Central, resumed their innings at an overnight score 178/5 on day-three, were off to a shaky start. The side lost their sixth wicket at a combine score of 186.
Soon after, the wickets began to tumble at an alarming rate and the side were bundle out for 262. Zafar Gohar played a gritty knock and showed resistance, the batter remained not out on his individual score of 42. While, rest of their batters were dismissed cheaply.
With 63-run lead, Balochistan batters began their second innings, however, Central’s bowlers dismantled the side’s batting line up, bowling them out for just 162. Bismillah Khan scored 27 off 29 balls including two boundaries and a six, while Gohar Faiz, top-scored with 36 off 43 deliveries laced with five boundaries and two sixes.
Muhammad Ali was the Central’s standout bowler, taking a fifer, while Zafar took two wickets. Waqas Maqsood and Bilawal Iqbal each had one wicket.
Chasing a target of 211-run, Central’s openers provided a decent start to the side. The pair put on a decent 48-run partnership. Imran Dogar was dismissed on 26.
Rizwan Hussain (23*) and Ali Shah (9*) will resume the proceedings for Central at 62/1 on day-four.
In the third match of the ongoing round of QEAT, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) need to chase 219-run target to win the match.
Southern resumed their innings at 40/0 on day-three, were off to a shaky start as the side lost their first wicket without adding much into their overnight score. Soon after, Zeeshan Ashraf was also dismissed, on 19 and the team slipped to 69/2.
However, Umar Siddiq and Salman Ali Agha played sensible knocks and partnered strongly to put the side in commanding position. Salman scored 90 off 131 balls including 14 boundaries, while Zeeshan top-scored with 92 laced with 15 boundaries.
With valuable contributions from down the order, Southern, eventually, were able to put a decent score of 334 on the board.
For KPK, Irfan Ullah Shah bagged four wickets, while Sameen Gull took three wickets. Asif Afridi and Arshad managed to take two wickets and one wicket respectively.
KPK openers will resume the run chase on day four.
