Northern Take Control Despite Fawad Alam Ton

Northern took control of their seventh round first- class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match against Sindh on the third day of the four-day game at the National Stadium, Karachi despite a fighting century from Fawad Alam on Wednesday

Karachi (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Nov, 2019) Northern took control of their seventh round first- class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match against Sindh on the third day of the four-day game at the National Stadium, Karachi despite a fighting century from Fawad Alam on Wednesday.

Northern had accumulated an overall lead of 255 runs after reaching 173 for two in their second innings at stumps when bad light again forced play to be called off with 12 overs remaining in the day.

The cornerstone of the second innings was a visually attractive unbeaten 96 runs off 131 balls by Zeeshan Malik who shared an undefeated third wicket stand of 63 runs with first innings double centurion Faizan Riaz.

Zeeshan was in flowing form hitting 13 fours and two sixes but Faizan who had scored a rapid 211 in the first innings from just 200 balls played a more subdued role as he faced 56 balls in his innings. The two came together after Mir Hamza dismissed Umar Amin (21) having him caught in the slip cordon while later Shoaib Minhas was bowled by Sohail Khan for 29.

Umar was looking in fine touch as he hit four boundaries in his 22 ball innings before his dismissal.

Earlier Northern skipper, Nauman Ali took five for 58, his fourth five-wicket haul in the season, to bowl out Sindh for 326 runs. Nauman produced quality bowling on a slow pitch when Sindh resumed on 247 for five with Fawad Alam on 75 and Anwar Ali on 41.

Left-hander, Fawad Alam went onto make his 32nd first-class century as he put on a 126-run partnership for the sixth wicket with all-rounder, Anwar Ali who made 69.

Fawad scored 107 runs from 161 balls with 14 boundaries while Anwar curbing his usually aggressive style of play also batted patiently to face 168 balls hitting nine fours.

It was Nauman who broke the partnership by having Fawad caught by Faizan and he later also picked up the wicket of Anwar. Sindh were dismissed shortly after lunch conceding a lead of 82 runs.

Scores in brief:

Northern 408, all out 93.2 overs (Faizan Riaz 211, Ali Sarfaraz 60, Hammad Azam 59; Sohail Khan 3-89, Mir Hamza 3-92) and 173 for 2, 43 overs (Zeeshan Malik 96 not out; Sohail Khan 1-30)

Sindh 326, all out 105.5 overs (Fawad Alam 107, Shahzar Mohammad 74, Anwer Ali 69; Nauman Ali 5-58, Sadaf Hussain 2-50)