Lahore Eagles continue to dominate
A round-up of the action from the One-Day National Cup Division Two matches
ESPNcricinfo staff
02-Mar-2012
Group A
Lahore Lions registered their first win in three games, beating United Bank Limited (UBL) by 15 runs at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Lahore were asked to bat and built their total around two half-century stands for the third and fourth wickets, among Junaid Jan, Fahad-ul-Haq and Farhan Asghar in combination. Asghar top scored with 64, as they finished with 220 for 9. UBL's chase began poorly, as they lost both openers for ducks and though most of their middle order got starts - four batsmen went past 30 but could not get to a half-century - Lahore's bowlers put in a team effort, striking regularly to limit them to 205.
Lahore Lions registered their first win in three games, beating United Bank Limited (UBL) by 15 runs at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Lahore were asked to bat and built their total around two half-century stands for the third and fourth wickets, among Junaid Jan, Fahad-ul-Haq and Farhan Asghar in combination. Asghar top scored with 64, as they finished with 220 for 9. UBL's chase began poorly, as they lost both openers for ducks and though most of their middle order got starts - four batsmen went past 30 but could not get to a half-century - Lahore's bowlers put in a team effort, striking regularly to limit them to 205.
Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) bowlers also managed to defend a not-too-imposing total against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) at the Khan Research Laboratories Ground in Rawalpindi, helping their team to a 41-run victory. The win meant that all four teams from Group A that played on Friday were tied up on four points, trailing group-leaders Peshawar Panthers who are on eight. KRL were put in, and they got to 213, with Saeed Anwar top-scoring with 54. The only substantial partnership in the chase was between Khurram Shehzad and Azhar Shafiq, who added 74 for the fourth wicket. At one point, SNGPL were tottering on 107 for 7, before a bit of late resistance took them to 172. Nauman Ali, with 3 for 29 in his ten, finished with the best figures.
Group B
Lahore Eagles continued to dominate Group B, easing to their third win in three games with a seven-wicket victory over Multan Tigers at the National Stadium in Karachi. Multan Tigers were asked to bat and recovered from a wobbly 40 for 4 to 195, courtesy half-centuries from Naved Yasin and Abdur Rehman. Lahore's openers all but sealed the game for them in the chase, stringing together a 124-run stand. Eventually Lahore strolled home in the 43rd over. It was Multan's third loss in the tournament.
Lahore Eagles continued to dominate Group B, easing to their third win in three games with a seven-wicket victory over Multan Tigers at the National Stadium in Karachi. Multan Tigers were asked to bat and recovered from a wobbly 40 for 4 to 195, courtesy half-centuries from Naved Yasin and Abdur Rehman. Lahore's openers all but sealed the game for them in the chase, stringing together a 124-run stand. Eventually Lahore strolled home in the 43rd over. It was Multan's third loss in the tournament.
Quetta Bears edged home by two wickets in a low-scoring thriller against Hyderabad Hawks at the Niaz Stadium in Sind. This was Quetta's second win in two matches, and Hyderabad's second loss in as many games. Hyderabad were inserted and subsequently demolished by the spin of Mohibullah and Shahzaib Ahmed. The pair claimed five scalps between them as Hyderabad were bowled out for 124 in 31 overs. The story did not change much in the Quetta innings, as the spinners continued to trouble the batsmen and strike regularly - it was Nasir Awais and Rizwan Ahmed who claimed five for Hyderabad. However, Quetta just sneaked home, courtesy a dogged innings from Shahbaz Khan - he finished unbeaten on 33 off 78 balls, the top scorer in the match.