KARACHI: Zone-II surged to the top of Karachi region standings in the PCB Regional Inter-district Under-19 Cricket Championships after sealing an innings victory over Zone-VII here on Sunday.

On the last day of the their second-round fixture at the UBL Sports Complex, Zone-II won by innings and six runs to secure maximum 10 points, taking their tally to 13 in two matches.

After taking their overnight first-innings score of 115-1 to 356-8 declared in 63.5 overs with Mohammad Asad (73, 11 boundaries), Mohammad Ali Butt (72, seven fours) and Kahaf Patel (54, five fours) as the main run-getters, Zone-II bundled out their hapless opponents for 132 in 32.3 overs of the second innings.

Asad followed his batting heroics with three wickets for just 12 runs while Kahaf took 3-54.

Zone-VI staged a brilliant comeback against Zone-III to take three points in the drawn match at the NBP Sports Complex.

Replying to Zone-VI’s 306, Zone-III were poised to match that total when they had advanced to 110-0 at stumps on Saturday. But a startling collapse saw them being all out for 220 in 65.2 overs; Rabish Ahmed (64, 10 fours and two sixes) and Osama Ali (50, seven boundaries) were the only batsmen to get going.

The damage was mainly inflicted upon Zone-III by slow left-armer Alam Khurshid Shah who returned excellent analysis of six for 71, while all-rounder Mohammad Hassaan Khan claimed three for 60.

Batting a second time, Zone-VI collected 152-3 with opener Hasan Mohsin striking seven boundaries in an unbeaten 69.

Zone-V picked up three points for the second straight game running after earning a slender five-run lead on the first innings in their drawn clash with Zone-I at the Landhi Gymkhana Ground.

Resuming at the overnight tally of 66-1 in response to Zone-I’s 274, Zone-V finished at 279-9 in the stipulated 70 overs. Saif Ali Ghauri batted well to make 77 (eight fours and two sixes).

In the remaining available period of play Waheed Khan stole the show by blasting 11 boundaries and half a dozen sixes in his superlative undefeated innings of 113 as Zone-I finished at 191-1 in their second innings.

Osama Butt scored 51 not out with the help of four strikes to the fence.

The third-round matches will start from Tuesday.

Scores and results on Sunday (final day of two):

At Landhi Gymkhana Ground, Karachi: Match drawn.

ZONE-I 274 in 69.4 overs (Zeeshan Haider 151 not out, Mohammad Zafar 56; Hasan bin Shahab 4-103, Ali Raja 2-27, Saif Ali 2-43) and 191-1 in 31 overs (Waheed Khan 113 not out, Osama Butt 51 not out); ZONE-V 279-9 in 70 overs (Saif Ali Ghauri 77, Arsal Bashir 37; Ahsan Iqbal 3-44, Osama Butt 2-24).

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: Zone-II beat Zone-VII an innings and six runs.

ZONE-VII 220 in 65.3 overs (Maaz Ashar 79, Azizuddin 29, Harman Waris 27, Rafiuddin 25; Nadir Shah 3-57) and 132 in 32.3 overs (Rafiullah 52, Azizuddin 33; Mohammad Asad 3-12, Kahaf Patel 3-54); ZONE-II 356-8 declared in 63.5 overs (Mohammad Asad 73, Mohammad Ali Butt 72, Kahaf Patel 54; Ammar Khan 4-92).

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: Match drawn.

ZONE-VI 306 in 63 overs (S.M. Tahami 81, Mohammad Hassaan Khan 67, Fahaddis Bukhari 40; Abrar Ahmed 4-66, Rabish Ahmed 3-62) and 152-3 in 41 overs (Hasan Mohsin 69 not out, Abdul Hameed 23, Fahaddis Bukhari 22; ZONE-III 220 in 65.2 overs (Rabish Ahmed 64, Osama Ali 50; Mohammad Zeeshan 34, Imran Shah 28, Azam Khan 25; Alam Khurshid Shah 6-71, Mohammad Hassaan Khan 3-60).

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2015

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