Amir announces return to competitive cricket with 3 wickets

Published March 14, 2015
Rawalpindi: Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir runs in to bowl during a three-day match at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.—AFP
Rawalpindi: Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir runs in to bowl during a three-day match at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.—AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan’s disgraced fast bowler Mohammad Amir finally made a return to competitive cricket on Friday following an early reprieve of his spot-fixing ban with three wickets at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

The left-armer’s figures of 3-73 helped Omar Associates restrict Capital Development Authority (CDA) to 268 all out on the opening day of the second-round Group ‘B’ fixture in the Patron’s Trophy (Grade-II) Cricket Tournament.

Sarmad Bhatti hit 73 off 120 balls (11 boundaries and one six) to emerge as CDA’s top scorer while Zohaib Ahmed made 66.

Omar Associates, however, made a tentative response by reaching 77-3 at draw of stumps.

Prolific Pakistan Army batsman Shahid Khan struck 124 (133 balls, 16 fours and one six) as his side amassed 368-8 in the allotted 83 overs against Humak Engineering in the other Group ‘B’ match at the Army Cricket Ground.

An unbeaten 123 (164 balls, 12 boundaries) from Behram Khan guided K-Electric to 337-5 in 65 overs in the Group ‘A’ tie against Medicam at the NBP Sports Complex.

Mohammad Zohaib slammed an undefeated 95 as Saudi Cricket International posted 263-6 in 72 overs against Pakistan Customs at the RLCA Gulberg Ground. Jahangir Shah stroked 125 (233 balls, eight fours) while helping Pakistan pile up 408-6 in their 83 overs versus Sindh Police at the UBL Sports Complex.

Zahid Mansoor hammered a brilliant 180-ball 188 (31 boundaries and one six) as Candyland collected 358-6 in 74 after Asim Textile decided to bowl first in their Group ‘C’ encounter at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

Akbar Badshah contributed 104 (160 balls, nine fours) as Brighto Paints were all out for 322 before Railways stuttered to 37-3 at the Model Town Greens Cricket Ground in Lahore.

Moazzam Hayat scored 104 (eight fours) as Service Industries plodded to 244-5 in 83 overs against Dollar East in the Group ‘D’ game at the Stags Cricket Ground in Lahore. Dollar East, however, were in some bother at 52-3.

At the LCCA Ground Income Tax were on top after dismissing HEC for 122 with Mohammad Ismail capturing six wickets for 57. Mohsin Nadeem then hit an unbeaten 75 as Income Tax went to stumps at 157-3.

Close of play scores on Friday (day one of three):

Group ‘A’:

At RLCA Gulberg Ground, Karachi: SAUDI CRICKET INTERNATIONAL 263-6 in 72 overs (Mohammad Zohaib 95 not out, Naveed Khan 72,

Adnan Baig 36; Basit Ali 3-51) vs PAKISTAN CUSTOMS.

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: K-ELECTRIC 337-5 in 65 overs (Behram Khan 123 not out, Rameez Raja 82, Saad Ali 56, Majid Khan 32) vs MEDICAM.

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: PAKISTAN NAVY 408-6 in 83 overs (Jahangir Shah 125, Babar Hussain Agha 74, Owais Ahmed 69 not out, Amit Ravi 37, Hamza Ghani 36; Shiraz Ali 3-112) vs SINDH POLICE.

Group ‘B’:

At Army Cricket Ground, Rawalpindi: PAKISTAN ARMY 368-8 in 83 overs (Shahid Khan 124, M. Miqdad Hussain 95, Maaz Taimia 39; Atlas Khan 3-79); HUMAK ENGINEERING 20-1 in 5 overs.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: CDA 268 in 64.1 overs (Sarmad Bhatti 73, Zohaib Ahmed 66; Mohammad Amir 3-73, Saad Nasim 2-14, Waqas Ahmed 2-36, Jalat Khan 2-60); OMAR ASSOCIATES 77-3 in 19 overs (Fahad-ul-Haq 25; Zohaib Ahmed 2-40).

Group ‘C’:

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: CANDYLAND 358-6 in 74 overs (Zahid Manzoor 188, Sohail Ahmed 42 not out; Tauseef Yasin 2-77, Ali Usman 2-86) vs ASIM TEXTILE.

At Model Town Greens Cricket Ground, Lahore: BRIGHTO PAINTS 322 in 81.1 overs (Akbar Badshah 104, Waqas Ali 43; Shahid Nawaz 3-62, Ahmed Shafiq 2-54); RAILWAYS 37-3 in 14 overs (Syed Kashif Ali 24 not out).

Group ‘D’:

At Stags Cricket Ground, Lahore: SERVICE INDUSTRIES 244-5 in 83 overs (Moazzam Hayat 101, Muntazir Mehdi 53, Farhan Asghar 50 not out; Ansar Javed 2-19, Shahan Akram 2-83); DOLLAR EAST 52-3 in 8.3 overs (Ijaz Ali 2-17).

At LCCA Ground Lahore: HEC 122 in 36.4 overs (Mohammad Akhlaq 25, Salman Agha 25; Mohammad Ismail 6-57, Mohammad Alam 3-32); INCOME TAX 157-3 in 51 overs (Mohsin Nadeem 75 not out, Ameer Hamza 35).

Published in Dawn March 14th , 2015

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