March 23, 2006	Thursday	Safar 22, 1427

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KARACHI, March 22: Top seeds continued their winning run by brushing aside their opponent’s to conjure up second successive win in the 31st National snooker championship at Snooker Zone on Wednesday. Bidding for the 14th national crown, top seed Mohammad Yousuf, scored crushing 4-0 victory over qualifier Khalid Khan (NWFP). Final scores were 56-12, 73-2, 64-24, 55-43.

With three national titles under his belt, defending champion, Saleh, made short work of Balochistan’s Taj Mohammad 73-12, 103-7, 68-28, 77-21.

Third seed Naveen Perwani, runners-up of last national championship, dropped third frame on his way to register 88-54, 77-9, 39-65, 74-58, 69-8 win over Sindh’s Jawed Ansari.

Fourth seed Abu Saim of Punjab was also quick in disposing off Imran Qamar 86-1, 66-43, 46-37, 55-29.

NWFP Cup champion, Rambel Gul, who the other day toppled eighth seed Shehram Changezi struggled to overcome his Sindh counterpart Irfan Rasheed Khan 4-3 the scores being 21-79, 65-39, 55-64, 68-45, 41-73, 56-7, 61-29.

Atiq Latif Bux, a scion of Bux clan and former Pakistan No 1 Khurram Agha were extended to six frames by Arshad Siddiq and Mohammad Akhlas while Shehram Changezi notched up his win against Imran Khan, winner of Punjab Cup.

Results: Atiq Latif Bux (Sindh) bt Arshad Siddiq (NWFP) 4-2 (49-74, 74-43, 19-72, 74-53, 75-48, 77-29); Imran Shahzad (Pun) bt Mehmood Khan (Bal) 4-0 (55-47, 63-31, 68-55, 80-9); Khurram Agha (Sindh) bt Mohammad Akhlas (Sindh) 4-2 (62-14, 89-45, 40-67, 32-60, 59-12, 71-47); Shehram Changezi (Pun) bt Imran Khan (Pun) 4-2 (74-6, 65-16, 59-25, 6-81, 9-52, 62-34); Mohammad Yousuf (Sindh) bt Khalid Khan (NWFP) 4-0 (56-12, 73-2, 64-24, 55-43); Saleh Mohammad (NWFP) bt Taj Mohammad (Bal) 4-0 (73-12, 103-7, 68-28, 77-21); Naveen Perwani (Sindh) bt Jawed Ansari (Sindh) 4-1 (88-54, 77-9, 39-65, 74-58, 69-8); Abu Saim (Pun) bt Imran Qamar (Pun) 4-0 (86-1, 66-43, 46-37, 55-29); Tahir Rasheed (Pun) bt Mohammad Yousuf (Bal) 4-2 (30-43, 54-53, 62-35, 66-0, 58-62, 80-14); Vishan Gir (Sindh) bt Hamid Bata (NWFP) 4-3 (59-26, 51-55, 37-53, 50-16, 38-60, 62-25, 71-23); Farhan Noor (Pun) bt Jan Ali (Bal) 4-1 (72-46, 54-61, 61-31, 61-8, 54-10); Rambel Gul (NWFP) bt Irfan Rasheed Khan (Sindh) 4-3 (21-79, 65-39, 55-64, 68-45, 41-73, 56-7, 61-29); Raja Rashid (Pun) bt Naeem Jaffer (Bal) 4-1 (45-55, 49-6, 67-22, 66-39, 71-22); Mohammad Sharif (Pun) bt Mohammad Ali (Bal) 4-2 (54-65, 56-73, 79-26, 70-1, 41-48, 56-27).

Thursday’s fixtures: At 10.00am: Kamran Razzak (Sindh) v Khalid (NWFP); Mohammad Sadiq (Pun) v Taj Mohammad (Bal); Shah Khan (NWFP) v Jawed Ansari (Sindh); Abdul Rehman (Bal) v Imran Qamar (Pun) at 12.00pm: Kashif Khan (Sindh) v Arshad Siddiq (NWFP); Asif Haris (Pun) v Mehmood Khan (Bal); Nauman Awan (NWFP) v Mohammad Akhlas (Sindh); Mustafa Hyder (Bal) v Imran Khan (Pun) at 2.00pm: Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) v Naeem Jaffer (Bal); Raees Khan (Pun) v Mohammad Kashif (Sindh); Inrm-ur-Rehman (NWFP) v Mohammad Sharif (Pun); Minhas Malik (Pun) v Yasir Shahzad (NWFP) at 4.00pm: Salman Shaikh (Sindh) v Mohammad Yousuf (Bal); Saqib Butt (Pun) v Vishan Gir (Sindh); Mohammad Asif (Pun) v Farhan Noor (Pun); Imtiaz Tipu (Pun) v Rambel Gul (NWFP).