KARACHI: Hasan Mohsin plundered a second successive century on Monday to put Zone-VI in full control of their Karachi region match against Zone-I in the PCB Regional Inter-district U-19 Cricket Championships.

Opener Hasan followed up his unbeaten 200 against Zone-VII in the previous round by scoring 131 as Zone-VI ended day one of the two-day game at the KCCA Stadium on 329-5 in 55 overs.

Earlier, Zone-I fared miserably after opting to bat first upon winning the toss. In less than 36 overs they folded up for 108 runs despite Mohammad Zubair contributing 46 of them with the aid of five boundaries and a brace of sixes.

Zone-VI skipper Fahad Bukhari returned fine figures of 4-16 with his off-spin bowling, while slow left-armer Mohammad Hassaan Khan — fresh from his 11-wicket haul against Zone-VII — claimed 2-16.

Fahaddis then played second fiddle to Hasan, who adorned his 109-ball innings with 22 fours, during their third-wicket stand of 180. Fahaddis was batting with 56 (eight fours and one six) at draw of stumps. Opener S.M. Tahami earlier stroked nine boundaries while making 79.

Zone-V, one of three teams at the top of the standings with 16 points, stuttered to 135-7 after dismissing Zone-II for 196 at the Landhi Gymkhana Ground.

Leg-spinner Ashar Qureshi grabbed 7-63 in 21 overs to vindicate Zone-V decision to bowl first after winning the toss as only Kashif Iqbal (78 with 12 fours) and Mohammad Asad (43, five fours and one six) played substantial knocks.

Kahaf Patel and Mohammad Ali have taken three wickets apiece so far for Zone-II.

In the battle of wooden-spoons at the TMC Ground, bottomed-placed Zone-VII rode on Azizuddin’s second hundred of the competition to collect 264-9 in the stipulated first-innings quota of 70 overs against Zone-IV.

Azizuddin, who hit 102 against Zone-V in the opening round, was the mainstay of the innings with a 139-ball 116 featuring 10 boundaries and four sixes after his side chose to bat first. Zubair Dilawar (54) also excelled by striking five fours and three sixes.

Left-arm spinner Daniyal Naveed snared three wickets for 75 runs.

In their reply, Zone-IV reached 57-0 in 20 overs.

Both Zone-IV and Zone-VII have yet to open their account on the points’ table before the start of the fifth-round matches on Monday.

Close of play scores on Monday (day one of two):

At KCCA Stadium, Karachi: ZONE-I 108 in 35.5 overs (Mohammad Zubair 46; Fahaddis Bukhari 4-16, Mohammad Hassaan Khan 2-19); ZONE-VI 329-5 in 55 overs (Hasan Mohsin 131, S.M. Tahami 79, Fahaddis Bukhari 56 not out; Mohammad Wasim 3-80).

At TMC Ground, Karachi: ZONE-VII 264-9 in 70 overs (Azizuddin 116, Zubair Dilawar 54, Rafiullah 25; Daniyal Naveed 3-75, Asadullah 2-50, Adil Ali 2-50); ZONE-IV 57-0 in 20 overs (Ali Sohaib 26 not out, Mohammad Daniyal 24 not out).

At Landhi Gymkhana Ground, Karachi: ZONE-II 196 in 51.2 overs (Kashif Iqbal 78, Mohammad Asad 43, Saeed Raza 27; Ashar Qureshi 7-63, Saifullah 2-43); ZONE-V 135-7 in 39 overs (Tauseeq Ahmed 37 not out, Wasiuddin 36, Arsal Bashir 32; Kahaf Patel 3-24, Mohammad Ali 3-31).

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2015

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