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Thursday March 28, 2024

Asghar records 8th 5-wicket haul in first class cricket

November 19, 2019

Northern make fine start against S Punjab

By Our correspondent

RAWALPINDI: After their maiden victory in the ongoing four-day first-class Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, Northern carried forward their impressive batting form on day one of their fixture against Southern Punjab at Rawalpindi’s KRL Stadium.

In the eighth-round match of country’s premier first-class tournament, the hosts were 339 for five in 78 overs when stumps were drawn. Openers Umar Amin (90) and Zeeshan Malik (45) provided a solid foundation after Northern captain Nauman Ali elected to bat.

Northern were 121 for one by Lunch as Umar crossed the 50-run mark while Zeeshan was dismissed by left-arm medium-fast Zia-ul-Haq. Southern Punjab tightened screws in the afternoon session and had Umar, who spanked 10 fours and four sixes in his 113-ball stay at the crease, back in the pavilion.

Ali Sarfraz, however, helped Northern march to 245 for three at tea with a solid half-century. The 31-year-old left-handed batsman scored 73 runs from 130 balls, seven of which were sent to boundaries. Batting at six, Hammad Azam was unbeaten on 48 when the day ended. The all-rounder has faced 65 balls, to date, and hit four fours and a six. He was joined by wicketkeeper-batsman Jamal Anwar (18) at the other end.

The pair had stitched an unbeaten 51-run partnership. For Southern Punjab, left-arm spinner M Irfan was the pick of bowlers with three for 95 while Zia and leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood claimed one wicket each. When the second day’s play begins on Tuesday, Northern, ranked fourth on the points table, will look to strengthen their position by bagging maximum batting points (5) by reaching the 400-run mark inside the 110-over cut-off. If Southern Punjab take four or more wickets in the next 32 overs, they would bag all three bowling points on offer.

Scores in brief: Northern 339-5 in 78 overs (Umar Amin 90, Ali Sarfraz 73, Hammad Azam 48*, Zeeshan Malik 45; M Irfan 3-95) vs Southern Punjab.

Meanwhile, Balochistan’s M Asghar recorded his second five-wicket haul of the tournament on the first day of his side’s four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at UBL Sports Complex in Karachi. The 20-year-old left-arm spinner removed four of the opposition’s top five batsmen and returned five for 90 in 30 overs as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa managed 290 runs for the loss of eight wickets before stumps were drawn six overs earlier due to fading light.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Ashfaq Ahmed, the second highest run-getter in the tournament, and Zohaib Khan put resistance with 54 and 76 not out respectively. An 86-run partnership for the second-wicket between Israrullah and Ashfaq gave Khyber Pakhtunkhwa control of the proceedings after Sahibzada Farhan (nine) was removed by pacer Khurram Shehzad with only 16 runs on board. But, Asghar changed the course of the innings in the afternoon session as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa slipped to 206 for six from 106 for two. Zohaib crafted a solid half-century to rescue his side from a collapse. The all-rounder, to date, has scored 76 runs from 137 balls, which include eight fours.

He was joined by Usman Shinwari (20) when the first day’s play came to an end. Asghar, after returning his eighth first-class five-fer, now sits at the third spot on the list of the bowlers with the highest wickets in the tournament. He has 24 scalps at 30.04 runs apiece.

Scores in brief: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 290-8 in 84 overs (Zohaib Khan 76*, Ashfaq Ahmed 54, Israrullah 42, Sajid Khan 29; M Asghar 5-90, Khurram Shehzad 2-64) vs Balochistan.