29 January 2004	Thursday	06 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Jan 28: Only a brave man could predict the winners in the 2003-04 Patron's Trophy final between Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) at the National Stadium after no less than 17 wickets fell on Wednesday.

ZTBL, who had won this trophy thrice under their old name of ADBP, face a tricky proposition on the fourth day of this five-day fixture as they require another 127 runs for victory with seven wickets standing in what has now become anybody's match.

They might have ended the third day in a happier frame of mind than being 49 for three at stumps had Zeeshan Mohsin not perished to a brilliant diving catch at point by substitute fielder Atiq-ur-Rehman as the evening shadows lengthened on the pitch.

Wapda, searching for their maiden title, are still very much in the game simply because the pitch is conducive to seam bowling, especially in the crucial first session when there is plenty of juice on the surface.

On top of it, in Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan and Sarfraz Ahmed they have two potential match-winning performers. The duo have already picked up nine of the 13 wickets taken by Wapda bowlers.

Resuming their first innings at 242 for six, ZTBL lost the remaining wickets for the addition of 38 runs to concede a lead of 28. Sarfraz, the left-armer speedster, claimed three of the four wickets to finish with five for 66.

Abdul Razzaq, on whom ZTBL's hopes rested, could add only four runs to his overnight 61 while skipper Rao Iftikhar was left stranded on 36. The seventh-wicket pair shared a partnership of 88.

Wapda, who went to lunch at 28 for one, suffered a dramatic collapse mainly because of indiscreet batting and were soon tottering at 65 for seven in the second innings. On this occasion, Razzaq who sensibly elected to bowl to a fuller length was rewarded with three scalps for one run in six deliveries.

Rao Iftikhar, who drew the first blood with his fourth ball of the innings, wrapped up Wapda innings, which yielded 147 runs, courtesy of a fine well-judged catch on the deep mid-wicket boundary by Shahid Yousuf.

Sarfraz, Rao Iftikhar's 10th victim of the match, had threatened to take the match away from ZTBL in partnership with his captain Zahid Umar (39 not out) with one monstrous hit that deserved description of some sort. The powerful left-hander blasted medium-pacer Imran Sabir straight over long-on; the ball almost striking the railing on the full beneath the pavilion.

Scoreboard

WAPDA (1st Innings) 308 (Hasan Adnan 85, Adil Nisar 57; Rao Iftikhar 7-85).

ZTBL (1st Innings, overnight 242-6):

Zeeshan Mohsin c Zahid b Sarfraz 14

Atif Ashraf c and b Rana Naveed 8

Faisal Naveed c Zahid b Sarfraz 8

Shahid Yousuf c Hasan b Waqas 34

Naveed Qureshi c and b Waqas 48

Abdul Razzaq lbw b Rana Naveed 65

Javed Hayat c Zahid b Waqas 11

Rao Iftikhar not out 36

Adnan Akmal c Zahid b Sarfraz 2

Mohammad Siddique c Zahid b Sarfraz 2

Imran Sabir b Sarfraz 0

EXTRAS (B-12, LB-13, W-3, NB-19, PR-5) 52

TOTAL (all out, 83.2 overs) 280

FALL OF WKTS: 1-20, 2-26, 3-41, 4-110, 5-134, 6-165, 7-253, 8-257, 9-278.

BOWLING: Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan 27-3-96-2 (7nb, 1w); Sarfraz Ahmed 32.2-11-66-3 (2w); Waqas Ahmed 14-1-69-3 (10nb); Aqeel Ahmed 10-2-19-0 (1nb).

WAPDA (2nd Innings):

Asif Hussain c Adnan b Imran 5

Adil Nisar lbw b Rao Iftikhar 0

Tariq Aziz lbw b Razzaq 42

Shoaib Khan c Adnan b Siddique 10

Hasan Adnan lbw b Razzaq 0

M. Zaman c R. Iftikhar b Razzaq 0

Naveed-ul-Hasan c R. Iftikhar b Siddique 3

Zahid Umar not out 39

Aqeel Ahmed lbw b Rao Iftikhar 19

Waqas Ahmed c Adnan b Imran 0

Sarfraz Ahmed c Shahid b Rao Iftikhar 17

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-3, W-1, NB-6) 12

TOTAL (all out, 40 overs) 147

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-48, 3-48, 4-49, 5-49, 6-55, 7-65, 8-114, 9-126.

BOWLING: Abdul Razzaq 13-1-43-3; Rao Iftikhar 11-1-31-3 (1nb); Imran Sabir 12-3-57-2 (3nb); Mohammad Siddique 4-0-11-2 (2nb, 1w).

ZTBL (2nd Innings):

Atif Ashraf lbw b Rana Naveed 9

Zeeshan Mohsin c sub (Atiq) b Waqas 13

Faisal Naveed lbw b Rana Naveed 2

Shahid Yousuf not out 13

Naveed Qureshi not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-6, W-1, NB-3) 10

TOTAL (for three wkts, 18 overs) 49

FALL OF WKTS: 1-15, 2-18, 3-46.

BOWLING (to-date): Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan 9-1-24-2 (3nb); Sarfraz Ahmed 3-0-9-0; Waqas Ahmed 6-2-10-1 (1w).