Jonathan Yaqoob spins St Paul School to victory in HBL Inter-Schools opener

Pakistan News &  Features Services

Jonathan Yaqoob, with a six-wicket haul, spun St Paul School to six-wicket victory over Rangers Public School in the inaugural match of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014 at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground on September 18. 

Coming in to bowl as the ninth bowler in the innings, off-spinner Jonathan Yaqoob, adjudged Man of the Match, turned the game around with a spell of six for 34 off 7.1 overs which sent Rangers Public School crashing to 175 all out in 35.1 overs after being 121 for one in 22 overs. Set to score 176 in 40 overs, St Paul School reached the target in 31 overs. 

Electing to bat, after winning the toss, Rangers Public Scchool got off to a solid start through the opening pair of Raza Qamar (37 off 50 balls) and Mansoor Hussain (27 off 30 balls). The innings was consolidated by number three Masood Ansari who strick one six and five fours in 50 off 56 balls. 

The off-spinning trio of Jonathan Yaqoob (6-34), Rohit Mukesh (2-20) and Hamza Khan (2-30) brought about a dramatic collapse that saw Rangers Public School lose their last nine wickets for only 54 runs. 

Opener Noman Ahmed’s 53 off 79 balls containing five fours led St Paul School’s reply and number three Umar Abdullah’s unbeaten 46 off as many balls helped them reach the target with nine overs to spare. 

Before the start of the opening match more than 500 students from the participating schools had participated in the inauguration ceremony graced by Pakistan’s cricketing icons Shahid Khan Afridi and Younis Khan, both of them proud products of HBL. 

The tournament, being contested by 32 teams, including a couple of them selected by HBL on the basis of open trials, is being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). At the end of the league matches, the eight group champions will qualify for the quarter-finals. The final is due to be played at the Karachi Gymkhana on November 27.