Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022 Table-toppers Northern in a spot of bother against Southern Punjab

For the first time in this edition of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Northern are struggling as they were four down for only 94 in reply of Southern Punjab’s mammoth 566 at the close of day two at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Fast bowler Sameen Gul took three wickets for 23 in eight overs and Test cricketer Mohammad Abbas recorded one for 39 on Friday. When Northern, who top the six-team points table, commence their innings tomorrow with talented youngsters Mohammad Huraira (39) and Mubasir Khan (18) at the crease, they have an improbable task of avoiding the follow-on, which is still 273 runs away.

Northern, however, would put faith in Huraira and Mubasir to provide them a solid start on Saturday, considering how promising the starts of these two were in first-class cricket. Huraira, last year, became the second youngest Pakistani to score a triple-century and was the batter of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-22 and Mubasir, for his all-round heroics, was named player of the tournament.

Southern Punjab’s Salman Ali Agha, earlier in the day, brought up his second century on the bounce and became the third centurion in the innings after Umar Siddiq made 117 and Usman Salahuddin scored 108 yesterday. Usman added 18 more runs to his overnight score before he was dismissed on 126.

Salman made 103 at a sparkling strike rate of 101.98 and hit nine fours and two sixes.

Southern Punjab captain Hasan Ali smashed his fourth first-class half-century, scoring 53 off 38 (four fours and five sixes) and Ali Usman made 38 not out off 29 as Southern Punjab declared the innings at the loss of seven wickets.

Scores in brief:

Toss uncontested – Northern elect to bowl against Southern Punjab at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium

Southern Punjab 566-7d, 122 overs (Usman Salahuddin 126, Umar Siddiq 117, Salman Ali Agha 103 not out, Hasan Ali 53, Ali Usman 38 not out, Muhammad Imran 29; Kashif Ali 2-110, Athar Mehmood 2-158)

Northern 94-4, 22.3 overs (Mohammad Huraira 39 not out; Sameen Gul 3-23)