LAHORE: Vehari won the Southern Punjab-leg of the two-day City Cricket Association Tournament 2021-22 on first innings lead basis after their final against Muzaffargarh ended in a draw at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on Monday. Vehari successfully defended their first innings score of 353 for nine to dismiss Muzaffargarh for 243. When the match ended, Vehari were 175 for three in their second innings. The stars of Vehari’s victory were Naveed Ahmed and Farhan Sarfraz. Naveed scored 138 in the first innings while Farhan struck half-centuries in each innings. Muzaffargarh’s Mohammad Junaid, who took six wickets in the final was the most successful bowler in the tournament taking 39 wickets from seven matches. The slow left-armer took three five-fors in the tournament.
In the two-group 14-team Southern Punjab-leg, Vehari topped Pool A while Muzaffargarh topped Pool B. Sahiwal’s Sharoon Siraj was the most successful batsman with 669 runs from six matches at 74.33. His best was 185 not out in the tournament, his tally of runs included three centuries and one half-century. Ammar Ali from Dera Ghazi Khan was second on the list with 559 runs from six matches at 69.88 with a best score of unbeaten 152. The right-handed batsman scored three centuries and one half-century.
Rajanpur’s Jawad Hussain scored 506 runs from six matches at 72.29 with 102 not out his best score. The left-handed batsman struck one century and three half-centuries. The only double-century in the Southern Punjab-leg was hit by Okara’s Waqar Hussain. The right-handed batsman scored unbeaten 202 against Khanewal which included 15 fours and three sixes off 228 balls. In five matches in the tournament, he scored 454 runs at 75.67. Second on the bowling chart was Zain-Ul-Abadin from Khanewal who took 28 wickets from six outings in the tournament. He bagged three five-wicket hauls with best figures of five for 40 in an innings. Sahiwal’s Mohammad Rameez and Dera Ghazi Khan’s Mohammad Jehangir shared the bowling honours with 25 scalps apiece. Rameez bagged three five-wicket innings and one ten-wicket match haul, while Jehangir’s best figures in an innings were five for 20. Meanwhile, the final of the Balochistan Cricket Association-leg will be played between Loralai and Lasbela from 21 August.
Scores in brief:
Final
Result — Match drawn (Vehari won the final on first innings lead)
Vehari 353-9, 75 overs (Naved Ahmed 138, Farhan Sarfraz 56; Mohammad Junaid 4-80, Shayan Khalil 3-71) and 175-3, 40 overs (Shahzad Ali 59, Farhan Sarfraz 52) VS Muzaffargarh 243 all out, 70 overs (Aamir Ijaz 75, Mohammad Sudais 55; Shoaib Khan 3-30)