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Rawalpindi, 19 November 2019: Batsmen continued to dominate on the second day of the four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture between Northern and Southern Punjab at Rawalpindi’s KRL Stadium.
Hammad Azam’s sixth first-class century propelled Northern to 463 for seven, scored at an impressive run-rate of 4.22, and, in their reply, the tourists made 149 runs for the loss of two wickets at the back of half-centuries from Umar Siddiq and Zeeshan Ashraf.
Hammad scored an unbeaten 100 after resuming his innings on 48. The all-rounder crafted a 109-run stand for the sixth-wicket with his overnight partner Jamal Anwar, who made 44 from 106 balls.
The 28-year-old cracked six fours and two sixes in his 154-ball stay at the crease and also knitted a 66-run partnership with his side’s captain, Nauman Ali (37). The Northern declared their innings with the fall of Nauman’s wicket.
With the scores of 90 and 73 on day one, Umar Amin and Ali Sarfraz had provided impetus to Northern to target an imposing first innings score. Northern bagged five batting points – the maximum – while Southern Punjab managed two points for taking seven wickets.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Irfan returned his second five-wicket haul of the tournament taking five wickets for 158 runs in 38.4 overs.
Southern Punjab, in reply, lost Sami Aslam (nine), top run-getter of the season, early but Umar and Zeeshan stitched a timely 116-runstand until the latter perished for a 101-ball 57 – which was studded with nine boundaries.
Opener Umar, who has to date scored 58 from 121 balls and has hit six fours, and Irfan (15) were at the crease when curtains were drawn on the second day’s play. For Northern, Waqas Ahmed and Shadab Khan took a wicket each.
Scores in Brief:
Northern 463-7d, 109.4 overs(Hammad Azam 100 not out, Umar Amin 90, Ali Sarfaraz 73; Mohammad Irfan 5-158)
Southern Punjab 149-2, 42 overs (Umar Siddiq 58 not out, Zeeshan Ashraf 57)
