KARACHI: Centuries by Naved Yasin and skipper Saad Ali lifted State Bank to a formidable first-innings tally of 392-6 at the start of the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II cricket tournament final against the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

After being asked to bat first by Asfand Mehran, the HEC skipper who had won the toss, State Bank were in the ascendency at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Israrullah put on 45 for the first wicket when the latter was run out for 13.

Farhan then saw Mohammad Nawaz edging a catch to wicket-keeper Hamza Akbar off paceman Mamoon Riaz for just six. However, Rohail Nazir then partnered Farhan in a good stand of 66 before the Pakistan Under-19 captain was trapped leg-before-wicket by Mamoon for an 83-ball 36 (three fours and one six).

Saad then arrived to add exactly 50 for the fourth wicket when Farhan chipped a catch to Arsalan Zia at short midwicket while trying to hit slow left-armer Sajid Khan forcefully.

By Farhan had advanced to a rapid 90 from 95 deliveries while striking 13 fours and one six. And despite losing Umar Waheed cheaply for 13, Saad and Naved then came together to build a brilliant partnership of 185.

The two left-handers frustrated the HEC bowlers on either side of tea interval. Naved was more aggressive than his captain as he ended up making 118 without being dismissed as he struck 11 fours and six sixes in his 96-ball knock.

Saad, on the other hand, perished in the closing stages of the 83-over restriction. His 105 off 146 balls included 10 fours and a solitary six.

Mamoon finished with two wickets for 81 runs while fellow paceman Bilal Anwar and the left-arm spinners Sajid and Kamran Afzal took one wicket each.

The HEC openers Fahad Usman and Hammad Butt safely negotiated five overs to carry their team to 26 without loss on day one of this four-day title-decider.

Scoreboard

STATE BANK (1st Innings): Sahibzada Farhan c Arsalan b Sajid 90
Israrullah run out 13 Mohammad Nawaz c Hamza b Mamoon 6
Rohail Nazir lbw b Mamoon 36 Saad Ali c Faiq b Bilal 105
Umar Waheed b Kamran 13
Naved Yasin not out 118
Hamza Nadeem not out 1
EXTRAS (B-4, W-1, NB-5) 10
TOTAL (for six wkts, 83 overs) 392 FALL OF WKTS: 1-45, 2-58, 3-124, 4-174, 5-205, 6-390. DID NOT BAT: Taj Wali, Basit, Mohammad Ilyas.
BOWLING: Mamoon Riaz 22-6-81-2; Bilal Anwar 14-0-84-1 (2nb); Sharoon Siraj 9-0-54-1 (1nb); Sajid Khan 12-2-52-1; Kamran Afzal 16-3-58-1 (1nb); Asfand Mehran 6-0-39-0 (1nb, 1w); Mohammad Faiq 4-0-20-0. HEC (1st Innings): Fahad Usman not out 12 Hammad Butt not out 14 EXTRAS 0 TOTAL (for no wkt, 5 overs) 26 TO BAT: Mohammad Faiq, Arsalan Zia, Asfand Mehran, Hamza Akbar, Sharoon Siraj, Kamran Afzal, Sajid Khan, Bilal Anwar, Mamoon Riaz. BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Ilyas 2-0-17-0; Taj Wali 2-0-9-0; Mohammad Nawaz 1-1-0-0. UMPIRES: Nasar Khan and Mohammad Kaleem. MATCH REFEREE: Ali Naqvi. OFFICIAL SCORER: Shakeel Ahmed.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2019