Ahmed Farooq’s sensational eight-wicket haul drives Karachi Public School in Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket

Left-arm spinner Ahmed Farooq’s record-breaking haul of eight wickets powered Karachi Public School to an emphatic seven-wicket victory over Al Hameed Secondary School in their Group F encounter at the Eastern Star Ground while Happy Palace School whipped Zaheer Public School by 134 runs in their Group B fixture at the Hussain Lawai Naya Nazimabad Stadium in the Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2016, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), on September 29.

Karachi Public School’s Ahmed Farooq set a new tournament record by claiming eight wickets, giving away only 18 runs in his spell of 7.4 overs two of which were maidens. He followed it up with an unbeaten 30 off 33 balls to cap one of the best all-round performances in the history of the competition.

Ahmed Farooq’s devastating spell of left-arm spin bowling sent Al Hameed Secondary School crashing to 66 all out in 21.4 overs as they lost their last nine wickets for only 17 runs after opener Mehrab Khan (23 off 34 balls) and Hamza Iqbal (23off 37 balls) had added 48 for second wicket.

Chasing a modest target of 67 in 40 overs, Karachi Public School lost both the openers cheaply to medium-pacer Haseebuddin before Ahmed Farooq closed the deal with his steady knock as the winning runs came in only the 13th over.

Happy Palace School completed a cakewalk victory over Zaheer Public School, after having compiled a total of 235 for nine in the allotted 40 overs,

They were put on top by the 134-run third wicket partnership between Shafiq Ahmed (81 off 111 balls) and Sameer Khan Khan (56 off 72 balls) after both the openers had been run out by the brilliance of Mohammad Saad.

Zaheer Public School’s medium-pacers Mohammad Bilal (3-21) and Syed Essa (2-34) stemmed the flow of runs in the closing stages by picking up crucial wickets which limited the total below 250.

But the task of scoring 236 in 40 overs beyond the reach of the Zaheer Public School batsmen and they were bowled out for 101 in 18.3 overs. Only Mohammad Adnan (22 off 26 balls) and Mohammad Saad (20 off 21 balls) could enter double figures as the wickets kept on falling regularly.

Medium-pacers Hamza Qureshi (2-23) and Sharif Shakeel (2-26) were the pick of the Happy Palace School bowlers but Man of the Match award was clinched by their number three batsman Shafiq Ahmed for his knock of 81.

Zaheer Public School, Springfield Academy triumph in Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket

Zaheer Public School and Springfield Academy overcame their respective rivals in the latest matches of the Omar Trophy Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2016, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA).

Zaheer Public School, despite conceding as many as 50 wides, outsmarted Fatimiyah Boys School by four wickets in a Group B fixture at the TMC Ground while Springfield Academy hammered BM Grammar School by a staggering margin of 194 runs in the Group E encounter at the KCCA Stadium.

Put into bat, Fatimiyah Boys School collapsed dramatically from 42 for no wicket to 111 all out in 29.5 overs. They could have been bundled out for a lower total without the contribution of 57 extras which included 50 wides sent down by the Zaheer Public School bowlers.

S M Abbas (20 off 59 balls) and opener Ali Abbas (14 off 22 balls) were the only batsmen to reach double figures as the innings was wrecked by left-arm spinner Talha Baig (4-18), off-spinner Ibad-ul-Haq (3-14) and medium-pacer Syed Essa (2-14).

Chasing a modest target of 112 in 40 overs, Zaheer Public School lost both their openers cheaply but the innings was given momentum by Saad Shaikh (33 off 24 balls) and Adil Baig (21 off 48 balls).

Off-spinner Ali Faraz (2-10) and medium-pacer Hasan Raza (2-30) could only delay the inevitable as the winning runs came in the 20th over. Zaheer Public School’s left-arm spinner Talha Baig was declared Man of the Match for his four-wicket haul.

In the day’s other match Springfield Academy, batting first after winning the toss, installed an impressive total of 243 against BM Grammar School.

Opener Saim Ayub set the ball rolling with a fluent 52-ball 67 containing eight boundaries while Mubashir Amin struck a couple of fours in his 41 off 54 balls. Springfield Academy, looking set for a score in the excess of 250, was bowled out for 243 on the penultimate ball of the innings, losing the last six wickets for only 44 runs.

Medium-pacers Asim Raza and Arbaz Khan returned the identical figures of two for 34 while left-arm spinner Asfandyar Ghani (2-35) and leg-spinner Suhaib-ul-Hasan (2-58) also bowled well.

Needing 244 for victory in 40 overs BM Grammar School struggled from the outset to be routed for 49 in 22 overs. Opener Omar Siddiqui (11 off 44 balls) was the only batsman to enter double figures as the wickets were shared between off-spinner Nazar Siddiqui (3-9), left-arm spinner Badar Qureshi (3-14) and medium-pacer Taimur Mustafa (2-9).

Badar Qureshi, who also scored 26 off 37 balls in the Springfield Academy innings besides capturing three wickets, was presented Man of the Match award for his fine all-round performance.