Quaid Trophy: Quetta defy star-studded Blues to hold out for draw

Islamabad sole winner on final day of 1st round.

KARACHI:
Quetta’s determined batting helped them clinch a draw in their Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match against Karachi Blues on day four here at the NBP Sports Complex yesterday.

Quetta resumed the day on 212 for seven in their second-innings while replying to Blues’ massive score of 502 and were bowled out for 242 in 115.3 overs. Quetta’s Taimoor scored 76 and his knock included eight boundaries while left-arm spinner Azam Hussain took five wickets.

Blues then declared their innings at only 14 for one to set a target of 275. But Quetta’s Ali Asad hit a crucial 63 off 132 balls with 10 fours as his team ended up with 127 for three. The Blues were awarded three points for their first-innings lead.

Meanwhile, Shahzad Azam’s five-wicket haul helped Islamabad to a 71-run win against Multan in a one-inning encounter after both sides opted to forfeit their first-innings due to no-play on the first two days.

Chasing Islamabad’s total of 209, Multan were dismissed for 138 with Rizwan Haider (52) scoring the highest. Islamabad received six points after their win.

“The first-innings was forfeited with mutual understanding of both teams’ captains,” a PCB official told The Express Tribune. “Both Islamabad and Multan wanted to play for the result instead of a draw and they told the umpires and match referee about their decision.”


In another match of Group-I, Sialkot-Lahore Ravi match ended in a draw at the Zahoor Elahi Stadium in Gujrat despite both teams forfeiting their first-innings as well to go for maximum points.

Ravi were 28 for one on day three in reply to Sialkot’s 117 for one as no play was possible on the last day due to bad light and rain.

In Group-II, Rizwan Ahmed’s unbeaten 100 helped Hyderabad to draw against Abbottabad as they ended up with 225 for four in their second innings while chasing a target of 333 at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad. Abbottabad took three points for their first-innings lead.

The Bahawalpur v Faisalabad match also ended in a draw as last day’s play was not possible due to rain and bad light at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2013.

 
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