KARACHI: Unsung Faizan Riaz engineered a magnificent comeback by Northern with a dazzling double century as the visitors recovered from 15-3 to post 396-8 against Sindh in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy on day one of the seventh-round First XI fixture here at the National Stadium on Monday.

Using the option to decide at the toss, Nauman Ali chose to bat but soon was left to rue his move when veteran fast bowler Sohail Khan claimed the prized scalp of in-form Umar Amin in the first over for just four runs. The former Pakistan player also had other opener, Zeeshan Malik, caught by Mir Hamza for one before Tabish Khan removed Jamal Anwar (6) with Sindh skipper Sarfraz Ahmed taking the chance offered behind the stumps.

However, Faizan — the 31-year-old right-hander from Islamabad — and Shoaib Ahmed Minhas came to their side’s rescue by carrying them to 122-3 at the lunch interval. The fine partnership swelled to 143 on only 116 minutes after the break when Shoaib became Sohail’s second LBW victim.

Shoaib scored 49 from 74 balls with the aid of six boundaries. His dismissal brought in the diminutive left-hander Ali Sarfraz to the crease. Ali carried on the excellent job left by Shoaib as he assisted the dominating Faizan put on 178 for the fifth wicket on either side of the tea break.

Faizan looked in ominously great form as he made exactly 100 in the afternoon session that yielded altogether 153.

Ali hit up 60 in 166 minutes with his priceless 124-ball knock featuring seven fours until Hamza got rid of him via a catch by Khurram Manzoor. The left-arm speedster — also dismissed Nauman for an eight-ball duck with Sarfraz doing the rest — then finally saw the back of Faizan for a superlative 211, with Khurram again being the catcher.

Faizan, whose highest first-class score remains 256, struck 27 boundaries and three sixes during his the course of his career’s eighth three-figure innings while negotiating 200 deliveries in a stay of 284 minutes.

Sindh’s hopes of batting late in the final period were thrown out of the window by Hammad Azam. The long-discarded Pakistan all-rounder batted in his typically enterprising fashion to blast five fours and three sixes in a 64=ball undefeated contribution of 50 when stumps were drawn for the day.

Sohail and Hamza were the main wicket-takers with three apiece with Tabish and slow left-armer Hassaan Khan claiming one each.

Play at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore was curtailed to just 60.2 overs during Balochistan nullified leaders Central Punjab’s decision of bowling first to collect a healthy 232-2 with opener Azeem Ghumman and Imran Butt both surpassing 70.

Awais Zia (44 off 53 balls, eight fours) dominated the first-wicket partnership of 71 with Azeem, who then added 92 for the second wicket with Imran. Azeem was caught behind by Kamran Akmal off Ehsan Adil for a 140-ball 72 (10 boundaries).

But Imran Butt held firm to reach a 119-ball 77 (11 fours), while captain Imran Farhat (30) helped him put on 69 without either of them being separated.

Meanwhile in Abbottabad, second-placed Southern Punjab were 243-5 from76 overs after electing to bat first against hosts Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. The highlights being the opening stand of 91 involving Sami Aslam (38) and the day’s top scorer Umar Siddique (88 off 201 balls, nine fours and one six).

Former international Sohaib Maqsood was still at the crease with 38, while lanky paceman Ahmed Jamal was the chief striker with the ball with three for 53 in 22 overs.

Close of scores on Monday (day one of four):

First XI:

Seventh round:

At National Stadium, Karachi: NORTHERN 396-8 in 87 overs (Faizan Riaz 211, Ali Sarfraz 60, Hammad Azam 50 not out, Shoaib Ahmed Minhas 49; Sohail Khan 3-89, Mir Hamza 3-92) vs SINDH.

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: BALOCHISTAN 232-2 in 60.2 overs (Imran Butt 77 not out, Azeem Ghumman 72, Awais Zia 44, Imran Farhat 30 not out) vs CENTRAL PUNJAB.

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: SOUTHERN PUNJAB 243-5 in 75 overs (Umar Siddique 88, Sohaib Maqsood 38 not out, Sami Aslam 38, Zeeshan Ashraf 25; Ahmed

Jamal 3-53) vs KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2019