da apostebet： Salman Butt’s stoic century thwarted Habib Bank’s push for a win and ensured that WAPDA claimed the Quaid-e-Azam 2016-17 title, their maiden tournament win, on the basis of a first-innings lead
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2016
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File photo – Salman Butt’s unbeaten 105 on the final day was his fourth century of this season•AFP
Salman Butt’s second century of the match, a stoic 337-ball effort, thwarted Habib Bank Limited’s push for a win on the fifth day of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final and ensured that Water and Power Development Authority claimed their maiden title on the basis of a first-innings lead.Resuming from an overnight score of 83 for 2 in a chase of 444, the overnight pair of Butt and Mohammad Saad stretched their third-wicket partnership to 90 before the latter was dismissed, the only WAPDA wicket to fall on the day. Butt and Aamer Sajjad then battled their way to a draw, adding 72 runs off 50.4 overs in an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership.Butt, whose 125 was instrumental in his side securing the first-innings lead, ended the fifth day unbeaten on 105, having hit 16 fours.Habib Bank tried 10 bowlers in all during the fourth innings but the only bowler to pick up a wicket on the fifth day was Imam-ul-Haq, who dismissed Saad for 40. Sajjad was unbeaten on 25 off 141 balls.Butt’s 105 not out was his fourth century of the tournament, one of only three batsmen to have scored four or more centuries in the competition. He finished as the sixth-highest run-getter with 741 runs in 16 innings at an average of 49.40. The top spot on the run chart was occupied by his team-mate Kamran Akmal, who scored 1035 runs in 14 innings with five centuries. Akmal scored 35 in the only innings he played in the final. Imam-ul-Haq, who struck 200 not out in Habib Bank’s second innings, ended as the third highest run-getter with 848 runs in 20 innings.