Three more matches decided in HBL Inter-Schools Cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

HBL Schoolboys Greens, St Paul High School and Aga Khan Higher Secondary School recorded victories over their respective rivals in the latest round of league matches of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

HBL Schoolboys Greens outwitted New Oxford Grammar School by five wickets in their Group H encounter at the KCCA Stadium, St Paul High School overpowered Karachi Public School by 88 runs in their Group F clash at the Hussain Lawai Naya Nazimabad Stadium and Aga Khan Higher Secondary School defeated Azeem Academy by 35 runs in their Group C fixture at the TMC Ground. 

Batting first, New Oxford Grammar School was all out for 174 in 39.5 overs with Mohammad Ahsan (41 off 53 balls), Chand Ahmed (29 off 27 balls) and Umair Ibrahim (20 off 37 balls) contributing substantially as the innings was kept in check by the spin duo of Mohammad Yousuf (2-20) and Syed Amin (2-30). 

HBL Schoolboys Greens lost their top three batsmen for only 35 runs while chasing a target of 175 in 40 overs. The 64-run fourth wicket stand between Aamir Malik (33 off 48 balls) and Nadir Awan (33 off 45 balls) revived them and the job was completed by the duo of Taufiq Ahmed (38 off 37 balls) and Yawar Imam (29 off 33 balls) who added 70 for their unbroken sixth wicket partnership as the winning runs came with 4.2 overs to spare. Taufiq Ahmed was adjudged Man of the Match. 

St Paul High School got off to a flyer with the 114-run opening stand between Fahad Irfan (64 off 48 balls) and Noman Ahmed (34 off 49 balls). They managed to score 190 in 34.5 overs despite suffering a massive collapse brought about by the spin trio of Ahmed Farooq (4-35), Jibran Hasan (2-18) and Ali Tirmizi (2-34). 

Karachi Public School, in reply, was bowled out for 102 in 27.1 overs with only Sameer Shaikh (44 off 70 balls) offering resistance as the innings was rocked by medium-pacers Hammad Ahmed (4-15) and Hamza Ali (2-25) while Fawad Irfan, with his leg-spin, also chipped in with a couple of cheap wickets. He was named Man of the Match for his fine all-round performance. 

Aga Khan Higher Secondary School was boosted by 53 extras which raised their total to 195. Shakir Ali (40 off 48 balls) made the highest contribution among the batsmen after openers Hasan Ashraf (32 off 47 balls) and Ali Ahmed (21 off 28 balls) had kickstarted the innings by putting on 81 runs for the first wicket. 

Medium-pacer Daniyal Pervez (3-23) and off-spinner Hamza Ashraf (3-42) pulled it back but the leakage of sundries didn’t help their cause. Azeem Academy was also gifted 40 extras in their innings but they lost their last nine wickets for only 47 runs to be bowled out for 160 in 30.4 overs. They were tormented by off-spinner Omar Shahid, who claimed five wickets for 31 runs.