KARACHI, Sept 14: Reigning national champion, Saleh Muhammad and winner of the just concluded Snooker Cup, Abu Saim, stole the limelight when they conjured up century breaks on the opening day of the four-day 19th Latif Masters’ snooker championship at the Karachi Club on Wednesday.

Drawn in pool “A”, Saleh, the country’s top ranked cueist, cracked a break of 121 in the fifth frame in his 4-1 triumph against Punjab’s Muhammad Asif.

Earlier, he had defeated Sindh’s Raees Khan by the identical score line. He now faces Punjab’s Shehram Changezi in the last league match on Thursday.

New sensation, Abu Saim, who recently toppled former world champion, Muhammad Yousuf 6-4 in the Snooker Cup final, performed a break of 107 in the third frame against Sindh’s Imtiaz Tipu to register a 4-1 win.

Earlier, he dropped a frame in chalking up a 4-1 victory against NWFP’s Minhas Malik in the first match in group ‘D’.

Second ranked Muhammad Yousuf and third ranked Naveen Perwani who heads group ‘B’ and ‘C’, also won two matches apiece.

Punjab’s Shehram Chengezi was extended to full distance by Muhammad Asif and Raees Khan before overcoming 4-3 in both the games.

Atiq Latif Bux and Imran Shehzad also struggle hard to beat Saqib Butt and Imtiaz Tipu by 4-3 margin.

Results:

Saleh Muhammad bt Raees Khan 4-1 (90-31, 66-16, 45-75, 78-15, 92-10); Shehram Changezi bt Muhammad Asif 4-3 (58-47, 47-60, 08-42, 92-27, 16-50, 84-01, 80-22); Muhammad Yousuf bt Sohail Shahzad 4-0 (81-19, 59-05, 88-20, 76-05); Khurram H. Agha bt Salman Sheikh 4-0 (110-22, 86-23, 63-42, 80-08); Naveen Perwani bt Inam-ur-Rehman 4-0 (55-47, 75-32, 81-17, 64-41); Atiq Latif Bux bt Saqib Butt 4-3 (62-22, 35-76, 89-06, 39-77, 48-55, 49-40, 64-49); Abu Saim bt Minhas Malik 4-1 (45-69, 70-17, 73-05, 78-10, 106-0); Imran Shehzad bt M. Imtiaz Tipu 4-3 (12-86, 72-44, 46-55, 60-19, 34-64, 52-39, 65-23); Saleh Muhammad bt Muhammad Asif 4-1 (117-11, 08-78, 68-24, 69-25, 121-06); Shehram Changezi bt Raees Khan 4-3 (48-60, 73-38, 35-71, 60-59, 65-21, 22-74, 66-37); Muhammad Yousuf bt Salman Skeikh 4-1 (54-61, 67-52, 87-0, 56-10, 54-35); Khurram H. Agha bt Sohail Shehzad 4-1 (68-46, 52-62, 104-0, 83-01, 63-25); Naveen Perwani bt Saqib Butt 4-0 (72-57, 100-18, 92-22, 81-01); Abu Saim bt M. Imtiaz Tipu 4-1 (67-24, 49-55, 107-0, 67-23, 77-09); Atiq Latif Bux bt Inamur Rehman 4-0 (67-12, 65-27, 61-45, 72-45); Imran Shehzad bt Minhas Malik 4-1 (112-15, 80-28, 01-62, 70-45, 76-17).