March 04, 2007	Sunday	Safar 14, 1428

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LAHORE, March 3: Multan dominated both with the bat and ball on the crucial third day to emerge as certain winners against Islamabad in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Silver League final at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Saturday.

Multan, who had gained a 31-run lead on the first innings, piled up 329 in the second innings – thanks to fine batting by Azhar Shafiq, Bilal Khilji and Kamran Hussain – to set a target of 361.

The problems for Islamabad were further compounded as by close of play they were reeling 79 for six. Their slim hopes of scoring another 282 depend on Bazid Khan, the last recognise batsman who is on 17 not out.

Multan’s three-prong pace attack of Azhar Shafiq (2-3), Kamran Hussain (2-14) and Abdul Rauf (2-38) caused the damage.

Earlier, Multan resumed at 125 for four and were well served by Azhar Shafiq who made a splendid 147-ball 97, laced with 14 fours and two sixes. Bilal Khilji hit 54 with eight boundaries while Kamran Hussain scored 42. Azhar and Kamran added 118 for the seventh-wicket.

Scoreboard

MULTAN (1st Innings) 211 (Saeed Anwar 71; Rauf Akbar 4-43).

ISLAMABAD (1st Innings) 180 (Naeem Anjum 67; Kamran Hussain 4-50).

MULTAN (2nd Innings, overnight 125-4):

Usman Tariq lbw b Rauf 19

Saeed Anwar Jr lbw b Bilal 60

Yasir Arafat Jr lbw b Saad 0

Bilal Khilji c Naeem b Bazid 54

Kashif Naveed lbw b Rauf 14

Atiq Ahmed b Saad 5

Azhar Shafiq lbw b Bilal 97

Kamran Hussain lbw b Bilal 42

Abdur Rauf c Rauf b Zohaib 9

Shabbir Ahmed not out 2

Azharullah c Rauf b Zohaib 5

EXTRAS (B-9, LB-10, NB-3) 22

TOTAL (all out, 92.2 overs) 329

FALL OF WKTS: 1-37, 2-42, 3-93, 4-124, 5-131, 6-295, 7-313, 8-322, 9-322.

BOWLING: Rauf Akbar 26-5-82-2 (1nb); Saad Altaf 26-8-74-2; Zohaib Ahmed 13.2-1-73-2 (2nb); Bilal Asad 16-3-49-3; Bazid Khan 9-2-22-1; Afaq Rahim 2-0-10-0.

ISLAMABAD (2nd Innings):

Raheel Majeed c and b Kamran 7

Afaq Rahim lbw b Kamran 6

Amir Khan b Rauf 21

Bilal Asad b Rauf 0

Fayyaz Ahmed b Azhar Shafiq 20

Bazid Khan not out 17

Naeem Anjum c Atiq b Azhar Shafiq 0

Ashar Zaidi not out 3

EXTRAS (LB-4, NB-1) 5

TOTAL (for six wkts, 27 overs) 79

FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-20, 3-23, 4-45, 5-72, 6-72.

BOWLING (to-date): Abdur Rauf 11-3-38-2 (1nb); Kamran Hussain 6-3-14-2; Azharullah 7-2-20-0; Azhar Shafiq 3-2-3-2.