By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 25: Centuries by skipper Adil Nisar and Shahid Mansoor gave WAPDA a first innings lead of 89 runs over Pakistan Customs on the third day of the Patron's Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship match at the UBL Sports Complex here on Wednesday.
By close of play on the penultimate day of the four-day encounter, Pakistan Customs had made 116 for one in their second innings to clinch an overall lead of 27. This match is now almost certain to end in a draw unless something dramatic happens tomorrow on a batsman-friendly pitch.
Opener Ameeruddin, curbing his impetuosity, to get quick runs, played a responsible knock of 47 not out in 137 minutes with six fours. With him at the crease is Aamir Wasim, who was promoted to No 3 after a string of useful scores in previous games, with 34 off 68 balls.
The only casualty in the Customs' innings was Azhar Shafiq who went for 23 at the total of 53 when he took a wild swing at leg-spinner Imran Tahir and only succeeded in top-edging a catch to Hasan Adnan at mid-wicket.
Just before Azhar got out, he was awarded five runs by international umpire Afzaal Ahmed in bizarre circumstances. Azhar had stroked the second ball of pacer Shabbir Ahmed's fifth over (the ninth of the innings) in the point area where the fieldsman, Saeed Anwar Jr, made an honest attempt to field the ball by dashing in, but in the process he lost his balance and his floppy hat fell on the ground in the way of the incoming ball.
In the meantime Salim Moghul was approaching to field the ball but it had already touched Saeed's floppy and the umpire had no hesitation in awarding five runs to the batting side.
One felt that the umpire had misinterpretated the implementation of Law 42.1 of the Laws of Cricket (MCC - 1980 code) in this instance because the fielder, in this case, had not deliberately tried to field the ball with his hat.
Law 42.1 clearly says that ``The fieldsman may stop the ball with any part of his person, but if he wilfully stops it otherwise, five runs shall be added to the run or runs already scored; if no run has been scored five penalty runs shall be awarded. The run in progress shall count provided that the batsmen have crossed at the instant of act. If the ball has been struck, the penalty shall be added to the score, but otherwise to the score of byes, no-balls or wides as the case may be.''
And in any case, a total of six runs, instead of five, should have been credited to the Customs side because the two batsmen had crossed each other at the instant of act as per the law.
However, the day belonged to the two century-makers. Having resumed at 194 for five, WAPDA were eventually bowled out for 367 ten minutes before the tea break.
Batting in uncharacteristic manner, the normally aggressive Adil, who was 91 overnight, duly completed a maiden first-class century 303 minutes off 232 balls with 10 fours and finally departed for 129 after batting for six hours and eight minutes. His 275-ball knock was laced with 14 boundaries. His previous best score was 98 for WADA against National Bank at Gujranwala last season.
The partnership between the left-handed Adil and Shahid Mansoor was worth 151 in 198 minutes. Shahid, who had resumed the day on 47, reached his 2nd first-class hundred in 268 minutes off 188 balls with 10 fours. He was the sixth man out at 315 after a stay of 282 minutes in all.
WAPDA lost four wickets for 11 runs towards the end of their innings but a scintillating last wicket stand of 51 in just 26 balls between pacers Shabbir and Sarfraz Ahmed further tormented the Customs bowlers.
Sarfraz, in particular, was in savage mood as he carved his way to 36 off 12 scoring shots in a 19-ball blitz. The left-hander blasted pacer Nadeem Iqbal for a huge straight six over the bowler. The over produced 20 runs.
Sarfraz also lifted left-arm spinner Aamir Wasim for a six over mid-wicket before he was caught off a leading edge off the bowling of Haaris Khan when. His innings also included three fours.