KARACHI: While Karachi Zebras and Rawalpindi Rams ran out comprehensive winners by innings, Islamabad Leopards and Lahore Eagles scored narrow victories in their second-round fixtures in the PCB Inter-Region Under-19 (Three-day) Cricket Tournament on Saturday.

The Zebras trounced their Pool ‘C’ rivals Azad Jammu Kashmir Jaguars by innings and 25 runs at the latter’s home territory at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

The Jaguars, who were 63-3 in their second innings, capitulated in less than 55 overs for 154. Ghulam Hussain bagged five wickets for 65 runs and Hassan Shahab 4-39.

In the same group the Rams overwhelmed Multan Tigers by innings and 64 runs at the Gymkhana Ground in Okara despite Friday’s second day being completely washed out.

The Tigers, who were forced to follow-on, were dismissed for 154 after having started the third day’s action at 9-0. Awais Iqbal was their tormentor with figures of five for 53.

The Leopards sealed a dramatic two-wicket win against Lahore Lions in their Pool ‘B’ clash at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

After the Lions had sportingly declared their second innings at 298-6 with Waqas Ali (83 odd 84 balls, four fours and two sixes), Rameez Younis (71 off 109, 12 fours and one six) and Mohammad Naeem (57 off 151, three boundaries) their main scorers, the Leopards brilliantly chased their target of 300.

They eventually reached 304-8 in just 53.4 overs with Sajawal Riaz hammering 11 boundaries and three sixes in a 109-ball knock of 112. Aamir Jamal hit a 65-ball 52 with the aid of four fours and a brace of sixes.

The Eagles, meanwhile, upstaged their hosts Peshawar Panthers by 20 runs in the Pool ‘D’ fixture at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar.

The Panthers made a real mess of a reachable 223-run chase when they were restricted to 202 all out in 66.2 overs despite a splendid unbeaten 102 (204 balls, 12 fours and one six) from Zia-ur-Rehman.

Karamat Ali was the Eagles’ star with the ball by claiming four wickets for 65 runs.

The other Pool ‘D’ tie between Sialkot Stallions and NCA Colts petered out in a draw at the National Ground in Islamabad with the former earning three points after taking a lead of 86 runs on the first innings.

Scores and results on Saturday (final day of three):

Pool ‘B’:

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Islamabad Leopards beat Lahore Lions by two wickets.

LAHORE LIONS 192 in 66 overs (Kamran Shaukat 53, Rizwan Hussain 40, Mohammad Naeem 31, Fahad Farooq 21; Aamir Jamal 4-58, Abid Ali 3-33) and 298-6 declared in 82 overs (Waqas Ali 83, Rameez Younis 71, Mohammad Naeem 57, Fahad Farooq 44 not out); ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 191 in 50.1 overs (Sajawal Riaz 81, Ali Imran 34; Umar Farooq 3-37, Fahad Farooq 3-47, Aftab Azwar 3-62) and 304-8 in 53.4 overs (Sajawal Riaz 112, Aamir Jamal 52, Farmanullah 47; Fahad Farooq 3-82).

Pool ‘C’:

At Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Mirpur: Karachi Zebras beat Azad Jammu Kashmir by an innings and 25 runs.

AZAD JAMMU KASHMIR JAGUARS 232 in 81.1 overs (Usman Maroof 129, Aamir Sohail 39, Azhar Mughal 25; Alam Khurshid Shah 4-62, Hasan Shahab 2-61, Ghulam Hussain 2-73) and 154 in 54.3 overs (Usman Maroof 37, Abdur Rahim 33; Ghulam Hussain 5-65, Hassan Shahab 4-39); KARACHI ZEBRAS 411-7 in 83 overs (Danish Aziz 181, Shahzar Hasan 112, Zohaib Abid 60, Fahaddis Bukhari 28 not out; Azhar Mughal 2-57, Abdul Raheem 2-64, Usman Khawaja 2-99).

At Gymkhana Ground, Okara: Rawalpindi Rams beat Multan Tigers by an innings and 64 runs.

RAWALPINDI RAMS 269 in 70.4 overs (Umair Masood 96, Mir Waiz 31, Shadab Khan 31, Aaqib Shah 30, Awais Iqbal 25, Zeeshan Malik 23; Mohammad Shahid 4-67, Hassan Mushtaq 3-28, Abdul Quddoos 2-75); MULTAN TIGERS 51 in 25.2 overs (Awais Iqbal 4-11, Mohammad Ismail 3-22, Mohammad Farhan 2-7) and 154 in 70.4 overs (Yousuf Babar 36; Awais Iqbal 5-53, Mir Waiz 2-23, Shadab Khan 2-41).

Pool ‘D’:

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: Lahore Eagles beat Peshawar Panthers by 20 runs.

LAHORE EAGLES 109 in 33.3 overs (Ahsan Tariq 42, Umar Islam 4-45, Niamat Shah 3-9) and 284 in 81.2 overs (Gohar Hafeez 93, Shahzad Javed 66, Kamran Afzal 50; Salman Shah 6-78, Umar Islam 2-64); PESHAWAR PANTHERS 171 in 44.4 overs (Mohibullah 81 not out, Mohammad Zawan Hikmat 27; Karamat Ali 3-79, Adil Sharif 2-19, Ahmed Bashir 2-30) and 202 in 66.2 overs (Zia-ur-Rehman 102 not out, Shiraz Safi 35, Umar Islam 21; Karamat Ali 4-65, Ghulam 2-19, Ahmed Bashir 2-43, Kamran Afzal 2-56).

At National Ground, Islamabad: Match drawn.

SIALKOT STALLIONS 345 in 80.5 overs (Ahsan Hafeez 100, Arsalan Rafiq 42, Hafiz Hassam 40, Sohail Pervez 35 not out, Gul Zaman 30, Yasin Riaz 29, Sajawal Khan 23; Mohammad Umar Sr 3-73, Mohammad Ibtesam 3-56, Mohammad Mubashir 2-66, Hassan Khan 2-77) and 172 in 64.4 overs (Sajawal Khan 66, Ahsan Hafeez 24; Mohammad Ibtesam 5-44, Mohammad Umar Sr 2-46); NCA COLTS 259 in 79.3 overs (Hassan Khan 76, Ali Zaryab 49, Ahmed Sultan 34; Ali Shafiq 3-44, Sohail Pervez 3-83, Zeeshan Abbas 2-37) and 88-4 in 30 overs (Mohammad Umair 25; Ahsan Hafeez 2-20).

Published in Dawn, September 14th , 2014