Pakistan: Rawalpindi obtain a marginal lead

Lahore, Nov 6: Rawalpindi scored 194 for six in their second knock after gaining a 29-run lead in first innings over Lahore Whites on third day of the Quaid-i-Azam Cricket Trophy Grade I match at the LCCA Ground on Monday.

The Rawalpindi pacemen restricted Lahore Whites to 196 all out in 65 overs, after the home team resumed at 150 for five. The overnight not out batsman Tariq Mahmood was bowled by Yasir Arafat at his personal score of 52, whileKamran Akmal was caught by Mujahid Hamid off Najaf Shah after contributing 24.

Naeem Akhtar took four for 42, Yasir Arafat three for 94 and Najaf Shah two for 38.

The start of Rawalpindi's second innings was also inauspicious as it lost two wickets for 11 runs. At that stage, Ahmad Said joined opener Saeed Anwar Junior and added 53 for the third-wicket partnership in 62 minutes. Saeed Anwar hit five boundaries in his 84-minute stay at the crease in which he scored 31. Ahmad Said contributed 30.

An unbroken seventh wicket partnership of 62 runs between Mujahid Hameed (40 in 91 minutes with five fours) and Yasir Arafat (27 in 69 minutes with three fours), gave some respectability to the Rawalpindi total.

Rawalpindi's Shahid Javed broke his right thumb when hit by a nasty delivery from Lahore Whites' captain Naeem Ashraf. He had to retire hurt after contributing only nine runs.

Lahore Whites were imposed a five-run penalty as one of their fielders entered the ground without informing the umpires. He even touched the ball.