KARACHI, Oct 27: A brilliant maiden first-class century from young Federal Areas’ batsman Umar Amin was the highlight of the penultimate day of the four-day Pentangular Cup match against Sindh at the National Stadium on Monday.

Umar, a highly talented 19-year-old left-hander from Rawalpindi, struck a stroke-filled 101 in only his fourth first-class appearance as the visitors reached 275 for one at stumps after conceding a lead of 45 runs on the first innings.

On a pitch that has nothing for the bowlers a draw is the most likely outcome of this game on Tuesday. Federal Areas now have a lead of 230 runs with nine wickets still intact.

Tanvir Ahmed, the paceman who claimed five for 62 in the first innings, used the long handle effectively to score 41 with eight boundaries to help his side take lead after the hosts resumed at 288 for seven in response to Federal Areas’ first-innings total of 322.

Sohail Tanvir, the left-arm Pakistan paceman, captured five for 100 in 28.1 overs. Ace Test speedster Shoaib Akhtar dismissed Rizwan Ahmed (44) with the second new ball to finish with two for 43 while sending down 13 overs in five short bursts.

Thereafter, Raheel Majeed and Umair Khan made a confident start in the second innings before the latter retired hurt with a foot injury when Federal Areas had reached 84 without loss.

Raheel, now joined by Umar, needlessly chased a wide delivery from Anwar Ali and was caught behind for a 98-ball 66 (11 boundaries).

Bazid Khan would have perished very early in his innings as he survived two dropped chances on 10 moments after umpire Zameer Haider turned down a vociferous leg-before-wicket when Tanvir Ahmed slanted the ball into the right-hander.

But Bazid gradually found his bearings to play some delightful strokes in the company of Umar, who duly completed a magnificent century shortly before close of play.

The partnership between Umar (159 balls, 17 fours) and Bazid (66 off 110 balls, 11 fours) is worth 157 so far at almost run-a-minute.

Scoreboard

FEDERAL AREAS (1st Innings) 322 (Usman Saeed 136 not out, Umar Amin 48, Sohail Tanvir 45; Tanvir Ahmed 5-62).

SINDH (1st Innings, overnight 288-7):

Khurram Manzoor c Bazid b Umar 59

Khalid Latif b Shoaib 33

Naumanullah c Bazid b Sohail 15

Faisal Iqbal b Rao Iftikhar 32

Fawad Alam lbw b Sohail 34

Shahid Afridi c Bazid b Sohail 17

Rizwan Ahmed c Sohail b Shoaib 44

Sarfraz Ahmed lbw b Rao Iftikhar 36

Anwar Ali b Sohail 15

Tanvir Ahmed b Sohail 41

Sohail Khan not out 18

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-5, W-2, NB-14) 23

TOTAL (all out, 95.1 overs) 367

FALL OF WKTS: 1-60, 2-107, 3-122, 4-168,

5-199, 6-211, 7-262, 8-295, 9-332.

BOWLING: Shoaib Akhtar 13-1-43-2 (1w); Sohail Tanvir 28.1-3-100-5 (5nb); Rao Iftikhar 20-3-61-2; Yasir Arafat 18-1-72-0 (5nb); Umar Amin 6-0-30-1 (3nb, 1w); Raheel Majeed 10-1-54-0 (1nb).

FEDERAL AREAS (2nd Innings):

Raheel Majeed c Sarfraz b Anwar 66

Umair Khan retired hurt 26

Umar Amin not out 101

Bazid Khan not out 66

EXTRAS (LB-9, W-1, NB-6) 16

TOTAL (for one wkt, 70 overs) 275

FALL OF WKT: 1-118.

BOWLING (to-date): Anwar Ali 18-8-39-1 (1w); Sohail Khan 13-1-59-0 (1nb); Tanvir Ahmed 15-1-73-0 (2nb); Shahid Afridi 12-1-45-0 (2nb); Fawad Alam 6-0-24-0; Rizwan Ahmed 5-0-23-0 (1nb); Naumanullah 1-0-3-0.