September 11, 2007	Tuesday	Sha'aban 28, 1428

KARACHI, Sept 10: Despite a wonderful unbeaten century from young opener Khurram Manzoor, Karachi Urban found themselves struggling for survival on the penultimate day of the four-day Nissar Trophy match against Mumbai at the National Stadium here on Monday.

Replying to Mumbai’s mammoth first-innings score of 623-6 declared, Karachi Urban battled all day to reach 339 for seven — a grand recovery considering they had lost half the side for 163 shortly after lunch.

Khurram it was who led the rearguard action with a career-best 167 after starting the day at 14 not out in Karachi Urban’s overnight tally of 30-1. The 21-year-old right-hander provided more glimpses of his immense talent as a future Test prospect.

The opening batsman can be proud of his achievement as the likes of Asim Kamal and Karachi Urban skipper Hasan Raza, both having Test experience, miserably failed on a docile NSK pitch.

Hasan, who has been included in the Pakistan ‘A’ squad to play Australia ‘A’ in the first four-day fixture starting in Faisalabad on Wednesday, was inexplicably run out for 12 after going for a second run which was not there in the first place.

Asim couldn’t blame anyone but himself for his downfall. The left-hander spooned a catch to mid-on after getting his eye in. In the end, he contributed just 25.

But Khurram marched on without ever looking in trouble. Saeed bin Nasir guided the youngster to a thoroughly deserved century while dominating the sixth-wicket stand of 175 in 51 overs.

Saeed was tragically out eight short of what would have been his 10th first-class hundred when Aavishkar Salvi, who represented India in four One-day Internationals in 2003, had him leg-before-wicket shortly after the second new ball was taken. Saeed’s 92 off 145 deliveries contained a dozen boundaries and one six.

After breaking the long partnership, Mumbai grabbed another wicket when Abhishek Nayar had Anwar Ali Khan caught behind to end the day’s proceedings.

Khurram’s marathon 340-ball knock includes 24 fours and a brace of sixes.

Still trailing by 284 runs, Karachi Urban need an unlikely 135 runs to just to avoid the humiliation of being asked to bat again — a prospect that looms large.

However, a draw on Tuesday would be enough for Mumbai to return home with the Nissar Trophy which was claimed by Uttar Pradesh in the inaugural annual fixture last year.

Scoreboard

MUMBAI (1st Innings) 623-6 declared (A.M. Nayar 152, A.M. Rahane 143, P.T. Naik 118, S.O. Kukreja 110).

KARACHI URBAN (1st Innings, overnight 30-1):

Agha Sabir b Abdulla 14

Khurram Manzoor not out 167

Amin-ur-Rehman lbw b Salvi 9

Asif Zakir c Gurav b Nayar 11

Hasan Raza run out 12

Asim Kamal c Mangela b Yeligati 25

Saeed bin Nasir lbw b Salvi 92

Anwar Ali Khan c Gurav b Nayar 1

EXTRAS (B-4, W-2, NB-2) 8

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 109.3 overs) 339

FALL OF WKTS: 1-29, 2-57, 3-77, 4-97, 5-163, 6-338, 7-339.

TO BAT: Azam Hussain, Malik Aftab, Uzair-ul-Haq.

BOWLING (to-date): Salvi 28-10-67-2 (1nb, 2w); Mangela 19-7-58-0; Nayar 20.3-3-68-2 (1nb); Abdulla 29-8-77-1; Yeligati 10-1-51-1; Naik 3-0-14-0.