February 20, 2007	Tuesday	Safar 2, 1428

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LAHORE, Feb 19: Another fine knock from Test opener Salman Butt helped Lahore Lions register a 18-run win against Multan Tigers in a National One-day Cup Silver League fixture at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Monday.

Salman, who struck a century in the opening match against Islamabad, hit a 49-ball 45 with eight boundaries as Lahore Lions piled up 238 before being dismissed after the match was reduced to 39 overs-a-side due to overnight rain.

In reply, Multan Tigers were well on course to victory reaching 183-5 in the 31st over but a dramatic batting collapse due to some fine fielding from the Lions they were folded for 220 in 37.2 overs.

Multan’s openers Usman Tariq (38) and Saeed Anwar Junior (29) gave a 72-run start in 10 overs. But after the openers fell at 72 a mini batting collapse reduced Multan to 4-112.

But Tigers’ top scorer Kamran Hussain (48) and Kashif Naved (32) again brought Multan into the winning position, adding 71 runs for the fifth wicket. But when Adnan Raza took a fine catch of Kamran at 183 and Kashif was clean bowled by Kashif Siddiq Multan slumped to 186-6. Test pacer Shabbir Ahmed, leading the team, scored a nine-ball 15. Lions’ Wahab Riaz took three wickets for 48 in 7.2 overs.

Earlier, put in to bat first by the visitors, Lions’ top order batting performed well. Salman and Taufeeq Umar (38) gave a flying start of 85 runs in 15 overs. Later, Kashif Siddiq (40 off 30 balls) and Rashid Riaz (34) made useful contributions.

Shabbir took 4-35 off his eight overs while Kamran Hussain (3-42) and Azharullah (3-50) also bowled well.

Scoreboard

LAHORE LIONS

Salman Butt c Kashif b Kamran 45

Taufeeq Umar c Gulraiz b Kamran 38

Kashif Siddiq lbw b Kamran 40

Rashid Riaz b Azhar 34

Adnan Raza c Imran b Azhar 22

Waqas Ahmed lbw b Shabbir 2

Salman Qadir b Azhar 1

Zulqarnain Haider not out 16

Wahab Riaz b Shabbir 2

Wasim Khan b Shabbir 16

Imran Ali b Shabbir 2

EXTRAS (LB-7, W-10, NB-3) 20

TOTAL (all out, 39 overs) 238

FALL OF WKTS: 1-85, 2-91, 3-156, 4-186, 5-189, 6-191, 7-191, 8-196, 9-236.

BOWLING: Shabbir Ahmed 8-0-35-4 (3nb, 1w); Abdul Rauf 7-1-62-0 (6w); Azharullah 8-0-42-3; Imranullah 4-0-26-0 (1w); Saeed Anwar Junior 4-0-16-0; Kamran Hussain 8-0-42-3 (2w).

MULTAN TIGERS

Usman Tariq b Wahab 38

Saeed Anwar Junior lbw b Imran 29

Azhar Shafiq c Zulqqarnain b Wasim 19

Bilal Khilji c Zulqarnain b Imran 12

Kamran Hussain c Adnan b Wahab 48

Kashif Naved b Kashif 32

Gulraiz Sadaf run out 11

Shabbir Ahmed c Wahab b Kashif 15

Imranullah run out 2

Abdul Rauf c Kashif b Wahab 1

Azharullah not out 4

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-3, NB-4) 9

TOTAL (all out, 37.2 overs) 220

FALL OF WKTS: 1-72, 2-72, 3-99, 4-112, 5-183, 6-186, 7-203, 8-214, 9-215.

BOWLING: Wasim Khan 8-0-44-1; Wahab Riaz 7.2-0-48-3 (4nb, 3w); Imran Ali 7-0-42-2; Waqas Ahmed 3-0-22-0; Salman Qadir 8-0-44-0; Kashif Siddiq 4-0-18-2.

RESULT: Lahore Lions won by 18 runs.

UMPIRES: Zaheer Ahmed and Naveed Khan.

MATCH REFEREE: Abdul Sami Khan.