05 February 2005	Saturday	25 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Feb 4: Top seed Khurram Hussain Agha and fourth seed Naveen Perwani survived early scares, before forcing their way into the last 16 of the 30th National snooker championship played on Friday at the Karachi Club.

Khurram facing Shakir Rafiq was completely at sea trailing 0-3 to a cueist yet to win a match in this tournament. But overcoming all odds Khurram with the stamp of a champion fought his way out to win the match with breaks of 59 and 64.

Fourth seed Naveen winning his first three matches with ease, ran into plenty of obstacles against Kamran Shah. Trailing 1-2 after picking up the first frame with ease, chalking up a break of 74, Naveen drew abreast 2-2, with a splendid clearance of 96, but was shocked out of his wits when Kamran refusing to throw in the towel won the next frame to move closer to victory leading 3-2.

Naveen managed to draw level again 3-3 and in the final frame where both cueists had to bring out their best, Naveen prevailed 63/54 with a break of 62 to emerge a 4-3 winner. Mohammad Yousuf was another cueist to reach the last 16, disposing of Punjab's Raees Khan 4-1, studded with breaks of 39, 69, 54 and 43.

Second seed Saleh Mohammad who lost 4-3 to Kashif Khan the day before, bounced back on Friday destroying talented youngster Imtiaz Tipu 4-0 with fluent breaks of 65, 30 and 48, to keep his chances alive of reaching the pre-quarterfinals.

Also moving closer to the last 16 stage was Punjab's Farhan Noor, who overcame Mohammad Nazir, also from Punjab 4-3. Amit Parwani gave himself a glimmer of hope of reaching the knockout rounds with a 4-0 defeat over former Pakistan No.4 Mohammad Shafiq, laced with breaks of 46, 55 and 39. But for Shakeel Bhatti, his 4-0 victory over Abdul Rauf came just too late. Mohammad Nasir from Punjab also made a place for himself amongst the last 16, with a 4-0 triumph over former Sindh Cup champion Shadab Baig.

Kashif Khan handed veteran Mohammad Akhlas with is third 4-0 defeat, while Minhas Malik gave his chances a big boost, with a 4-0 win over Naseem Peracha. Also with a glimmer of hope was bearded Shah Khan from the NWFP, who ended the pretensions of Waqas Malik 4-2. But for ninth seeded danger man Rambel Gul, his chances of reaching the last 16 fell by the wayside, after suffering another 4-2 defeat, this time to Sindh Cup champion Sohail Shehzad.

The dark horse of the tournament Atiq Latif Bux also made his way into the knock stage, saving some blushes to emerge a 4-2 winner over Farrukh Usman, helped on with breaks of 65 and 34, after trailing 0-2 in the early stages of the match.

Eighth seed Abu Saim also booked his berth in the pre quarterfinals after a pitched 4-3 battle against Islamabad's Shehram Chengazi, aided with breaks of 49 and 41 in the final frame.

Shehram had a break of 46 in the fourth frame. Fifth seed Imran Shehzad edged out Saqib Butt 4-2, while Vishan Gir survived to fight another day after disposing off Masood Ahmed 4-3.

RESULTS ON THE SEVENTH DAY:Shakeel Bhatti bt Abdul Rauf 4-0: 51/40, 81/25, 44/25, 58/48; Amit Parwani bt Mohammad Shafiq (NWFP) 4-0: 58/34, 66/31, 61/51, 69/41; Farhan Noor bt Mohammad Nazir 4-3:61/68, 78/53, 53/66, 73/33, 0/80, 71/40, 50/45; Sohail Shehzad bt Rambel Gul 4-2: 68/21, 50/64, 33.54, 79/33, 62/7, 76/67. Mohammad Asif bt Shadab Baig 4-0: 53/52, 63/23, 73/25, 65/45; Kasif Khan bt Mohammad Akhlas 4-0: 61/29, 61/29, 79/6, 62/31; Minhas Malik bt Naseem Pereacha 4-0: 52/44, 59/47, 67/27, 50/45; Shah Khan bt Waqas Malik 4-2: 66/45, 71/27, 71/20, 21/70, 31/50, 68/26. Atiq Latif Bux bt Farrukh Usman 4-2: 16/62, 34/58, 63/27, 51/19, 77/8, 69/56; Imran Shehzad bt Saqib Butt 4-2: 42/54, 58/17, 81/24, 68/38, 3/63, 82/32; Vishan Gir bt Masood Ahmed 4-3: 112/18, 53/3, 0/90, 37/63, 94/13, 64/68, 76/23; Abu Saim bt Shehram Changezi 4-3: 48/54, 39/60, 55/49, 30/78, 70/9, 59/0, 68/31; Khurram Hussain Agha bt Shakir Rafiq 4-3: 33/70, 36/58, 52/67, 68/20, 78/23, 68/9, 68/1; Saleh Mohammad bt Imtiaz Tipu 4-0: 94/0, 66/32, 59/49, 72/1; Mohammad Yousuf bt Raees Khan 4-1: 54/38, 86/55, 78/8, 18/59, 114/0; Naveen Perwani bt Kamran Shah 4-3: 89/1, 31/62, 44/75, 125/5, 28/66, 62/7, 63/54.