KARACHI: Off-spinner Jonathan Yaqoob bagged a six-wicket haul to spin St Paul School to a fine six-wicket victory over Rangers Public School in the inaugural match of the HBL Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2014 here at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground the other day.

Coming in to bowl as the ninth bowler in the innings, off-spinner Jonathan who was adjudged Man of the Match turned the game around with a spell of six for 34 off 7.1 overs which sent the Rangers Public School crashing to 175 all out in 35.1 overs.

Set to score 176 in 40 overs, St Paul School reached the target in 31 overs.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, the Rangers Public Scchool got off to a solid start through the opening pair of Raza Qamar (37 off 50 balls) and Mansoor Hussain (27 off 30 balls). The innings was consolidated by number three batsman Masood Ansari who struck one six and five fours in his 50 off 56 balls.

But then the off-spinning trio of Jonathan (6-34), Rohit Mukesh (2-20) and Hamza Khan (2-30) brought about a dramatic collapse that saw Rangers Public School lose their last nine wickets for only 54 runs.

Opener Noman Ahmed with a fluent 53 off 79 balls containing five fours led St Paul School’s reply. He was supported well by number three player Umar Abdullah who scored an unbeaten 46 off as many balls to help his team reach the target with as many as nine overs to spare.

Before the start of the opening match more than 500 students from the participating schools had participated in the inauguration ceremony graced by Pakistan’s cricket icons Shahid Khan Afridi and Younis Khan, both of them proud products of HBL.

The tournament, being contested by 32 team including a couple of them selected by HBL on the basis of open trials, is organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA).

At the end of the league matches, the eight group champions will qualify for the quarter-finals. The final is due to be played at the Karachi Gymkhana on Nov 27.

Published in Dawn, September 21st , 2014