A SUPERB spell of fast bowling from Mohammed Zubair spurred Pakistan Association to a convincing six-wicket win over Sunday League table leaders Optimists yesterday at Sek Kong.
Zubair took career-best figures of six for 51 as Optimists were bowled out for 160 in the 48th over after having been put into bat. The Pakistani batsmen made a mockery of the target as they cruised to victory in the 40th over with opener Aftab Ahmed leading the way with a half-century.
The day belonged to Zubair. The teenager, playing in his first season in the territory, was deadly accurate and on line as he beat the Optimists' batsmen through sheer pace.
Zubair, who has been drafted into the Hong Kong squad training for the Bangladesh tour, does not possess a long run. His thunderbolts, hurled from about an eight-pace run-up is mainly due to the strength of his shoulders. And bowling close to the stumps, he is right on target, as the Optimists' batsmen found out yesterday.
The biggest blow was however struck by Zubair's partner, left-armer Mohammed Jamshid who had Stewart Brew out for a duck in the second over of the day. Brew was superbly caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Mazhar Lodhi.
The baseball-capped Lodhi was the perfect foil for his opening bowlers as he had a hand in the first six wickets to fall, five of them caught behind. The other was the important wicket of Rodney Bannister, beaten by a throw from deep square leg by Ashraf Amdani, having attempted a suicidal third run.