KARACHI: Pakistan Television (PTV) needed just 8.1 overs on Tuesday to clinch a 71-run victory over Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) to lift the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II title and qualify to play first-class cricket next season.

Paceman Hamza Nadeem grabbed two of the three wickets to fall in brief play on the fourth and final day at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad to finish with his second five-for in the this title-deciding fixture.

Hamza, son of former Test wicket-keeper Nadeem Abbasi, ended with deserved match figures of 10 wickets for 79 runs in the low-scoring final during which just 583 runs were scored for the loss of 40 wickets.

Hopelessly placed at 118-7 in pursuit of 232 at start of play on Tuesday, ZTBL eventually reached 160 all out. Overnight batsman Umar Javed was left stranded on 31 — the second highest score of the second innings — from 65 balls.

Hamza, who was later adjudged man-of-the-match, claimed five for 52 with his new-ball partner Rizwan Akbar taking 3-55 for match haul of 6-94.

By winning the crown, PTV pocketed Rs500,000 along with the trophy, while ZTBL had to settle for the runners-up trophy and Rs250,000.

Among other individual awards, Rizwan Hussain of Ghani Glass won the best batsman prize for amassing 622 runs in the tournament, while all-rounder Agha Salman of Brighto Paints bagged the best bowler award for picking up 37 wickets with his off-spinners.

The best all-rounder prize was clinched by Kashif Bhatti of State Bank for scoring 216 runs and capturing 31 wickets.

PTV, who last played first-class cricket in 2014-15, join Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II champions Faisalabad for next season’s premier national competition.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN TELEVISION (1st Innings) 141 (Sarmad Bhatti 41, Raheel Majeed 26, Mohammad Irfan 26; Imran Khan 4-38, Sajjad Hussain 3-46, Bilawal Iqbal 2-29).

ZTBL (1st Innings) 96 (Shakeel Ansar 36; Hamza Nadeem 5-27, Rizwan Akbar 3-39, Zohaib Ahmed 2-19).

PAKISTAN TELEVISION (2nd Innings) 186 (Zohaib Ahmed 36, Fawad Khan 26, Sarmad Bhatti 23; Bilawal Iqbal 4-34, Usman Qadir 2-34, Sajjad Hussain 2-42, Imran Khan 2-62).

ZTBL (2nd Innings, overnight 118-7):

Shahid Yousuf c Raheel b Rizwan 4

Gohar Ali c Naeem b Hamza 5

Haris Sohail c Sarmad b Hasan 9

Bilawal Iqbal c Fawad b Rizwan 2

Waqas Saleem b Hamza 32

Shakeel Ansar c Naeem b Zohaib 16

Ali Nasir c Naeem b Hamza 27

Umar Javed not out 31

Usman Qadir c Fawad b Rizwan 0

Sajjad Hussain c Sarmad b Hamza 10

Imran Khan b Hamza 4

EXTRAS (LB-9, W-5, NB-6) 20

TOTAL (all out, 44.5 overs) 160

FALL OF WKTS: 1-10, 2-10, 3-17, 4-50, 5-68, 6-98, 7-118, 8-119, 9-144.

BOWLING: Hamza Nadeem 17.5-4-52-5 (3nb, 1w); Rizwan Akbar 15-3-55-3 (1w); Hasan Mohsin 5-1-24-1 (1w); Zohaib Ahmed 5-0-20-1 (3nb); Samiullah 2-2-0-0.

RESULT: Pakistan Television by 71 runs.

UMPIRES: Ahsan Raza and Mohammad Sajid Afridi.

MATCH REFEREE: Khalid Niazi.

OFFICIAL SCORER: Shakeel Ahmed.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Hamza Nadeem.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2017