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Nineteen wickets fell on the opening day of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Under-19 Championship Grade-I match between Karachi Whites and Islamabad at the National Stadium Thursday.

On a seamer-friendly pitch, Karachi Whites, put into bat, were shot out for 132 with paceman Talat Hussain picking up seven wickets for 42 runs while Atif Ali Zaidi only offering some resistance on way to scoring a 74-ball 50.

In turn, Islamabad collapsed from a healthy 90 for two to finish an intriguing day at 131 for nine. Karachi's spin duo of Azam Hussain and Irfanuddin equally shared six wickets between them. However, Karachi Whites, who are already sure of a place in the semifinals after winning their previous three matches, were unserved by their two coaches who preferred to relax in the dressing room rather than justify their jobs.

The two didn't send out any advise to young captain Khalid Latif who held back his destructive spinners until the 23rd over. But once the spinners got into action and managed to extract bounce and quick turn, they turned the screws around Islamabad batsmen. So much so, the two coaches lacked basic qualifications to become incharge of a youth team. No reserve players were sent out to the field with the drinks trolley nor any pre-match or post day's play meetings were held.

One wonders how can the city cricket managers can appoint such incompetent people to look after the teenagers. While the world is concentrating on its youth cricket, the KCCA is obliging its blue-eyed boys with coveted posts and thus, destroying the careers of youngsters who have the potential but need proper guidance and coaching.

Summarized scores:

Karachi Whites: 132 in 43.5 overs (Atif Ali Zaidi 50, Ahmer Saeed 23, Talat Husain 7-42, Mohammad Saif 2-45);

Islamabad: 131-9 in 44 overs (Raheel Majeed 26, Mohammad Shahzad 25, Mohammad Altaf 22, Irfanuddin 3-13, Azam Hussain 3-21).

© Dawn