March 08, 2008	Saturday	Safar 29, 1429

ISLAMABAD, March 7: An unbeaten century partnership featuring Test batsman Faisal Iqbal and Rizwan Ahmed put Sindh in a comfortable position against the Federal Areas on the third day of their Pentangular Cup match at the Diamond Cricket Club here on Friday.

At the close of play on a rain-shortened day when only 59 overs could be bowled, Sindh had reached 345 for three in their second innings, an overall lead of 272 against the hosts FA, with Faisal batting on 77 (off 139 balls) and Rizwan holding his willow having smashed 70 off 106 deliveries.

After Rizwan joined Faisal at 203 for three, so far, both have added an invaluable 142 runs for the fourth wicket. Both have struck ten fours each so far.

Earlier in the day, opener Khalid Latif also completed his half-century after resuming at his overnight score of 47. He eventually fell for 74, trapped leg before wicket by Saeed Ajmal.

If Shahzad Azam claimed his second scalp of the innings by picking the wicket of one-down batsman Naumanullah (43) who was caught by Usman Saeed, Test pacemen Sohail Tanvir and Yasir Arafat could not take any wicket after bowling 24 and 19 overs respectively, giving away 101 and 81 runs. Naumanullah hit six fours while facing 54 balls.

Scoreboard

SINDH (1st Innings) 222 (Shahid Afridi 70, Naumanullah 53; Sohail Tanvir 5-58).

FEDERAL AREAS (1st Innings) 295 (Ashar Zaidi 87 not out, Raheel Majeed 72; Sohail Khan 5-56).

SINDH (2nd Innings, overnight 128-1):

Khurram Manzoor c Umair b Shahzad 73

Khalid Latif lbw b Saeed 74

Naumanullah c Usman b Shahzad 43

Faisal Iqbal not out 77

Rizwan Ahmed 70

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-6) 8

TOTAL (for three wkts, 87 overs) 345

FALL OF WKTS: 1-119, 2-191, 3-203.

BOWLING (to-date): Sohail Tanvir 24-3-101-0 (4w); Yasir Arafat 19-2-81-0 (1w); Shahzad Azam 15-2-72-2 (1w); Saeed Ajmal 22-3-61-1; Raheel Majeed 7-1-28-0.