November 14, 2007	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 03, 1428

KARACHI, Nov 13: Batsmen generally found the going hard when the fifth-round action in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy began on Tuesday at 10 different venues across the country.

Pakistan Customs, with defeats in all four previous games, fared no better as they were skittled out for just 73 in their first innings by Wapda in the Group ‘A’ tie at the Jinnah Stadium in Gujranwala with paceman Azharullah taking 6-35.Wapda were already in front at 123-4 in reply.

Left-arm medium-pacer Junaid Khan snared 6-31 to help Abbottabad rout Peshawar for 93 at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. But the hosts immediately hit to bowl out their opponents for 93 thanks to the combined efforts of Riaz Afridi (5-49) and Nauman Habib (4-39).

Lahore Ravi made only 187 against Hyderabad, for whom fast bowler Naeem-ur-Rehman bagged 6-68. But the home side fought back to have Hyderabad reeling at 57-4 at close of play at the LCCA Ground.

Karachi Whites overcame a poor start to reach 218-5 versus National Bank at the NBP Sports Complex. Afsar Nawaz (68) and Javed Mansoor (40) have so far added 121 for the unbroken sixth-wicket partnership.

Excellent contributions by Shoaib Khan (98) and skipper Naseem Khan (96 not out) guided Quetta to 311for seven – easily day’s highest total – against KRL at the Bugti Stadium in Quetta.

Hosts Islamabad were 295-9 in their match against Karachi Blues at the Diamond Club Ground while neighbours Rawalpindi closed at 215-8 after being asked to bat first by PIA at the KRL Stadium.

Test reject Mohammad Khalil captured 5-48 as Lahore Shalimar mustered 172 in their first innings against ZTBL at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Scores on Tuesday (first day of four):

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi:

KARACHI WHITES 218-5 in 83 overs

(Afsar Nawaz 68 not out, Asad Shafiq 51, Javed Mansoor 40 not out; Wahab Riaz 3-44) v NATIONAL BANK.

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi:

RAWALPINDI 215-8 in 71.3 overs (Umar Amin 84; Aizaz bin Ilyas 3-44) v PIA.

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore:

LAHORE SHALIMAR 172 in 60.2 overs (Kashif Ali 41; Mohammad Khalil 5-48); ZTBL 1-0 in 1 over.

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad:

ISLAMABAD 295-9 in 83 overs (Raheel Majeed 75, Umair Khan 45, Ameer Ali 41; Azam Hussain 3-32) v KARACHI BLUES.

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar:

PESHAWAR 117 in 33.1 overs (Mahfooz Sabri 47 not out; Junaid Khan 6-31) and 2-0 in 0.4 over; ABBOTTABAD 93 in 30.2 overs (Riaz Afridi 5-49, Nauman Habib 4-38).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore:

LAHORE RAVI 187 in 46.4 overs (Junaid Zia 56 not out; Naeem-ur-Rehman 6-68); HYDERABAD 57-4 in 14 overs.

At Jinnah Stadium, Gujranwala:

PAKISTAN CUSTOMS 73 in 34.1 overs (Azharullah 6-35, Kashif Raza 3-17); WAPDA 123-4 in 38 overs (Aamir Sajjad 52).

At Multan Cricket Stadium:

SSGC 206-7 in 82 overs (Mohtashim Ali 59) v MULTAN.

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha:

FAISALABAD 144 in 55.5 overs (Fahad Masood 3-47, Shahid Nazir 3-48); 2-0 in 1.1 overs.

At Bugti Stadium, Quetta:

QUETTA 311-7 in 83 overs (Shoaib Khan 98, Naseem Khan 96 not out; Saeed Ajmal 4-101) v KRL.