Struggling Customs make impressive reply
By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 21: A finance-stricken Pakistan Customs made an impressive response to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)'s 334 on the second day of the Patron's Trophy Grade-I match at the National Stadium here on Sunday.
Customs raced to 216 for five from their 49 overs, including 132 runs coming from 33 boundaries.
Customs are badly in need of some financial support from their higher tier as the players have not been paid their four months salaries and the credit of some hotels and an airline is reaching the Rs 200,000-mark.
To rub salt into the wounds, the performance of the Customs has also been well below their potential as they trail at the bottom of the table.
The way the Customs batted, it appeared that they were holding PIA responsible for the affairs within the organisation when they treated the airline bowlers ruthlessly.
The Customs batsmen struck forcefully and authoritatively to collect 33 boundaries with Rana Qayyumul Hasan slamming the maximum - 12 in an attacking innings of 64.
Qayyum, a former Pakistan Under-19 captain who also toured England earlier this summer, faced 87 balls during his two-hour knock. He was associated in a 63-run fifth wicket stand with Aamir Bashir.
Bashir, an experienced domestic cricketer, played a more batsman-like and professional innings and was unbeaten 34. His polished 72-ball innings is spiced with three hits to the fence.
With Bashir was Aamir Iqbal when stumps were drawn for the day. Iqbal was batting on 21 that includes three boundaries.
Azhar Shafiq and Ameeruddin were the other two batsmen who severely punished PIA bowlers. Shafiq's 43-ball 40 was studded with seven boundaries and Ameeruddin's 26 was laced with six boundaries.
But while PIA bowlers received rough treatment, they too were equally responsible in allowing the Customs batsmen take liberty against them. They were erratic and bowled too short on a pitch that had eased out. PIA bowling figures though don't look nice but still Ali Gohar was the pick of the bowlers with three for 63. Nadeem Afzal bagged the other two wickets for 53 runs.
Earlier, PIA resuming this morning at 243 for five, added another 91 runs in 32 overs to be bowled out for 334 some 20 minutes after lunch. Zahid Fazal, who was overnight 103, became one of the three batsmen to be adjudged leg-before-wicket after scoring a dogged 132. His six-and-a-half hour innings spiced 18 blistering boundaries and two sixes. He faced 217 balls.
Veteran Zahid Ahmed also enjoyed a good outing in the centre when he chipped in with a priceless 57 from 107 balls with the aid of eight hits to the fence.
Paceman Ali Raza finished with four wickets for 74 runs and Azhar Shafiq ended up with three for 74. Mohammad Zahid claimed two wickets for 89 runs as PIA lost their last three wickets in a space of six balls.
Day 3:
Airlines-Customs match delicately poised
By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 22: The penultimate round Patron's Trophy Grade-I match between PIA and Customs entered a very interesting stage after third day's play at the National Stadium here on Monday.
The national carriers led Customs by 280 runs with full day's play still left in which 83 overs have to be bowled.
Pointless Customs are the at bottom of the table while PIA are sixth and marginally ahead of KRL who are struggling at seventh spot. The team finishing last will automatically be relegated to Grade-II tournament. When the stumps were drawn on the third day, PIA were 209 for eight after they had secured a first innings lead of 71 runs by dismissing Customs for 263. Pakistan Customs had resumed this morning at 216 for five in reply to PIA's first innings score of 334.
Airlines new recruit, Ali Gohar, continued his fine form with the red cherry when he finished with six for 76 to take his tally of wickets to 36 from six games. It was his second successive five-wicket haul in an innings.
Nadeem Afzal and Hasnain Kazim equally shared the other four wickets conceding 70 runs each.
For Customs, Aamir Bashir, who survived a very close caught behind appeal on the first ball of the day, ended up scoring 47 after starting the day at 34. His 95-ball innings included six boundaries. PIA, who began their second innings shortly before lunch, succumbed to some intelligent and accurate bowling by medium-pacer Mohammad Zahid to slump to 99 for six before tea.
But skipper Aamir Malik played his best innings of the season and together with veteran Zahid Ahmad pulled PIA out of woods by sharing an 89-run seventh wicket stand in 107 minutes.
Malik scored a defiant 47 from 121 balls with four fours and Zahid followed up his first innings contribution of 57 with 65. His 110-ball innings included six boundaries.
Zahid bowled exceedingly well and within his limits to finish with four for 71 while Ali Raza bagged two wickets for 60.
With PIA enjoying a 280-run lead, it is expected that they will put Customs into bat on the fourth morning. Both the teams are desperately in need of runs and tomorrow's play should be a thrilling one.
Day 4 report
Customs crush PIA by seven wickets
By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 23: Pakistan Customs stroke-makers put up a magnificent performance to topple Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) by seven wickets in their Patron's Trophy match at the National Stadium here on Tuesday.
The national carriers, who set Customs a mammoth 300 runs to win in a maximum of 77 overs, were left embarrassed and bewildered when Customs achieved the victory target with seven wickets and 21 balls to spare. Ameeruddin blasted a marvellous 84 from 194 balls and his fellow-opener Azhar Shafiq slammed an exquisite 82 from 73 balls to lay the foundation of a possible victory by sharing in a 131-run first wicket stand in 30 overs.
Then Rana Qayyumul Hasan and Azam Khan carried Customs from 217 for three to the winning score without further damage by putting on 83 runs for the fourth wicket in 87 balls.
While the Customs batsmen batted splendidly, the PIA fielders looked lethargic, bowlers off target and to add woes to the worries, there were massive error of judgments in captaincy.
To chase as formidable a score as 300 was by no means an easy task and it only needed gutsy batting to do so which Customs batsmen showed. By virtue of this victory, Customs jumped to sixth place while relegating PIA to seventh. PIA now needs to beat Allied Bank in the last league match of the Trophy to avoid the anomaly of relegation. Customs' herculean and sweet victory should also soften the hearts of the higher tier who have stopped all funds for the team for reasons unknown. The players have not received salaries for the last four months while the other dues are touching the Rs 200,000-mark.
Reverting to Customs' target-chase, PIA only had a chance to stop the flow of runs and immediately bring the opposition under pressure when Azhar Shafiq skied the ball in the air. But a terrible mix-up between the gully and point fielder saw the ball drop between then.
From then on, the PIA fielders were seen just running behind the ball. Shafiq's 82 included 12 boundaries - seven in the first 50 runs that came off 34 balls. Ameeruddin's 82 was laced with nine boundaries after he had reached his half century from 113 balls with six hits to the fence.
Rana Qayyumul Hasan, who lived dangerously for his 64 in the first innings, once again played an adventurous innings of unbeaten 63 that included nine boundaries. With Qayyum, Azam Khan remained unbeaten on a 44-ball 34 with six boundaries.
Customs from the very onset kept a steady pace and allowed the run-rate creep up. The first 25 overs produced 107 runs while they reached 189 after 50 overs. The last 111 runs came off 23.3 overs.
Earlier in the morning, PIA resuming at 209 for eight, were dismissed for 228 in 16 minutes of batting. Paceman Mohammad Zahid picked up the wicket of Hasnain Kazim to complete a five-wicket haul for 73 runs.