UBL grab slender lead in first innings

Maqbool bags five wickets against SBP in President’s Trophy.

KARACHI: Off-spinner Atif Maqbool claimed a five-wicket haul to help UBL take a sensational two-run first-innings lead against SBP in their low-scoring President’s Trophy match at the UBL Sports Complex Karachi on Wednesday.

SBP resumed day two on 104 for seven looking to go past UBL’s first-innings score of 147 but fell agonisingly short, getting rolled over for 145 in 48.2 overs despite a gritty fight from Rizwan Haider, who ended up with 36 off 77 balls.

The first blow of the evening was inflicted by Kashif Bhatti, but it was skipper Maqbool who bagged two wickets in consecutive overs towards the end which brought UBL back in the game.



In their second innings, UBL were 192 for five when the play ended with a healthy lead of 194.

The team is currently second on the points table with 45 points and a game in hand behind defending champions SNGPL, who have 49 points.

PQA amass 500 against PIA

Discarded Test all-rounder Tanvir Ahmed scored a run-a-ball 118 studded with four sixes and 15 boundaries in PQA’s run-glut against PIA.

PQA amassed 500 in 122 overs after starting the day at 300 for four at the Southend Club Stadium also in Karachi.

Mohammad Waqas (91), Khalid Latif (85) and Shahzaib Hasan (71) missed out on centuries while Tahir Khan grabbed seven wickets.

In reply, PIA were struggling at 135 for five and staring at a possibly embarrassing defeat.

Meanwhile, an opening stand of 188 runs between Bilal Shifayat and Jamal Anwar propelled HBL to a strong reply as they were 249 for one against ZTBL, who had made 359, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Jamal was unbeaten on 128 while Shifayat was dismissed on 95.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2014.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.