KARACHI: Former Pakistan Under-19 opening batsman Omar Bin Yousuf made immediate impression with an undefeated 133 as day one of the three second-round fixtures in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy was marked by as many as five centuries on Saturday.

The right-hander Omair struck an undefeated 133 as Sindh nullified Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s decision to bowl first to post 254-2 from their quota of 90 overs here at the UBL Sports Complex with Khurram Manzoor and the luckless Saad Ali getting out in the afternoon session.

Azeem Ghumman and stand-in skipper Imran Farhat highlighted the opening first-class match at the Bugti Stadium in Stadium after a long gap of 11 years by reaching three figures as hosts Balochistan made Southern Punjab sweat in the field while reaching a commanding 347-4 after the visitors opted to bowl first.

A similar tale unfolded at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad where Central Punjab rode on hundreds from Azhar Ali and Kamran Akmal to amass 369-4 after visiting captain Umar Amin decided that Northern would field first.

Despite the pitch having decent topping of grass, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowlers endured frustrating time on a sweltering day here in Karachi with the mercury touching the 40-degree Celsius mark.

The rate of scoring was sluggish in the first two sessions as Omair and the discarded Pakistan opener Khurram set a solid platform by putting on 130 in 221 minutes before occasional spinner Adil Amin struck twice in quick sessions on the stroke of tea.

Khurram batted painstakingly throughout his stay of 152 balls in which he scored 40 with only three boundaries as his major scoring strokes before attempted big hit caused his downfall.

New man Saad departed for one when an Adil delivery hustled through very low to hit the left-hander’s stumps.

Asad Shafiq, leading Sindh in this match, then accompanied young Omair in the final period with pair sharing an unfinished partnership of 120. Omair, who was 86 at the tea break, duly reached a thoroughly third century in just his ninth first-class appearance. The 20-year-old right-hander’s 253-ball innings during a stay of 381 minutes was decorated with 15 fours and a brace of sixes.

Asad, meanwhile, looked well on course for a 23rd ton in first-class as the diminutive right-hander has thus far hit five fours and a six in his 133-ball contribution of 68.

Test seamer Mohammad Abbas spent a wicketless first day in Quetta where Azeem and Imran Farhat led a dominating Balochistan batting performance. The 28-year-old Azeem — an ex-Pakistan Under-19 skipper of the past — played the role of an anchor to perfection while being involved in two century-plus stands.

Young opener Imran Butt, inducted in the playing XI after Imam-ul-Haq left for national duty, set the tone with a 99-ball 66 (11 fours) while adding 129 in 147 minutes with Azeem before slow left-armer Mohammad Irfan grabbed two wickets in three balls.

But Imran Farhat then joined Azeem to put on 181 for the third wicket in just 183 minutes with the skipper outscoring his partner by a distance. The former Pakistan left-hander registered his 35th first-class ton as the 37-year-old from Lahore slammed a dazzling 117 from only 118 deliveries while striking 17 boundaries.

Paceman Bilawal Bhatti, another Pakistan reject, then got rid of Imran and Hussain Talat but Azeem was unmoved to finish the day on 143 — his 10th century — in 390 minutes with his off 253-ball innings containing 14 hits to the fence.

Upcoming fast bowler Musa Khan made early inroads with three wickets upfront before Azhar and Kamran came together to pile on a partnership of 235 in just 223 minutes. While Test right-hander Azhar batted in his customary solid style, his former Pakistan team-mate Kamran was in belligerent mood as notched up his 31st first-class hundred.

The 37-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman was stumped by Rohail Nazir off slow left-armer Nauman Ali, in what turned out be the last ball of the day, but before having adorned his 170-ball innings of 157 with 12 fours and four sixes.

Azhar had advanced to 110 (204 balls, eight boundaries) in 333 minutes after completing a 36th century in his 189th first-class match.

Musa ended the day with figures of 3-57 in 11 overs.

Close of play scores on Saturday (day one of four):

Second round:

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: SINDH 254-2 in 90 overs (Omair Bin Yousuf 133 not out, Asad Shafiq 68 not out, Khurram Manzoor 40; Adil Amin 2-31) vs KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA.

At Bugti Stadium, Quetta: BALOCHISTAN 347-4 in 84 overs (Azeem Ghumman 143 not out, Imran Farhat 117, Imran Butt 66; Bilawal Bhatti 2-65, Mohammad Irfan 2-71) vs SOUTHERN PUNJAB.

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Central Punjab 369-5 in 87.3 overs (Kamran Akmal 157, Azhar Ali 110 not out, Saad Nasim 31, Rizwan Hussain 30, Salman Butt 22; Musa Khan 3-57).

Second XI, second round (day two of three):

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA 230 in 82.2 overs (Salman Afridi 53, Asif Afridi 38, Asad Afridi 37; Ashiq Ali 3-26, Hassaan Khan 3-95) and 159-6 in 54 overs (Aitzaz Habib Khan 71, Khushdil Shah 38); SINDH 138 in 40.4 overs (Saifullah Khan Bangash 36, Saad Khan 34; Khalid Usman 4-41).

At Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur: SOUTHERN PUNJAB 218 in 78.2 overs (Mohammad Mohsin 46, Naved Yasin 33, Agha Salman 31; Akhtar Shah 3-39, Jalat Khan 3-61) and 101 in 42.3 overs (Jalat Khan 6-29); BALOCHISTAN 109 in 48.2 overs (Zulfiqar Babar 6-45).

At Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Mirpur (AJK): NORTHERN 299-5 in 83 overs (Shoaib Ahmed Minhas 106 not out, Sarmad Bhatti 67, Faizan Riaz 36; Mohammad Ali 3-72); CENTRAL PUNJAB 103-2 in 41 overs (Ali Zaryab 34 not out).

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2019