KARACHI: Rawalpindi pace duo of Ibrar Zaman and Mohammad Waqar sent packing Faisalabad for 123 in their first innings on day two of the opening triangular fixture of the PCB Inter-region Under-19 (Three-day) Cricket Tournament in Mirpur on Wednesday.

Replying to Rawalpindi’s tally of 280-7 at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Faisalabad lost their way after resuming the day at 14-1 with the remaining wickets falling for 90 runs.

Ibrar, who got rid of Ali Raza on Tuesday evening, claimed five for 44 in 14.5 overs including the wickets of the top four Faisalabad batsmen before returning to dismiss tailender Qamar Abbas.

Opener Abdul Samad struck 31 off 49 balls with three fours, while all-rounder Mohammad Mishal Khan hit seven boundaries in a 48-ball knock of 33. Mohammad Saleem scored a patient 22 off 87 deliveries as just only three batsmen reached double figures in the entire innings.

Left-armer Waqar provided Ibrar great support by grabbing four wickets for 37 runs in 11 overs.

Pakistan Under-19 wicket-keeper Umair Masood, who is leading Rawalpindi, enforced the follow on with his side enjoying a commanding lead of 157 on the first innings.

But Faisalabad made a better feast of batting again despite losing Mujtaba Hasan for duck to Waqar in the second over as Samad and Saleem lifted them to 122-1 at draw of stumps, 35 runs shy of making Rawalpindi bat again.

Samad dominated the unbroken 120run partnership by striking 13 fours in his 112-ball innings of 85, while Saleem’s 100-ball 32 included a brace of boundaries.

Close of play scores on Wednesday (day two of three):

RAWALPINDI 280-7 in 83 overs (Nasir Nawaz 119 not out, Usman Haider 68, Hasnain Ahmed 43; Asad Raza 6-96); FAISALABAD  123 in 48.3 overs (Mohammad Mishal Khan 33, Abdul Samad 31, Mujtaba Hasan 22; Ibrar Zaman 5-44, Mohammad Waqar 4-37) and 122-1 in 37 overs (Abdul Samad 85 not out, Mohammad Saleem 32 not out; Mohammad Waqar 1-28).

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2016