Mohammad Abbas reaches a rare stage in the first-class cricket

Pakistani fast-baller Mohammad Abbas completed his 500 first-class counters on Saturday in Hampshire’s four-day game against Gloucestershire in the County Championship.

Abbas, known for being particularly accurate in terms of the type of conditions at the start of the season in England, which often helps bowling, reached the benchmark by cleaning up 65-year-old James Bracey.

Abbas finished with four packages on the third day of the match, Gloucestershire being eliminated with 320. The 31-year-old also won nine counters in just 39 races, including a hat-trick, in Hampshire’s 249-race victory over Middlesex last week.

Abbas, who is playing his third game of the season, has already picked up 16 wicket for Hampshire.