December 11, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 30, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 10: Sui Northern Gas Pipe Lines (SNGPL) grabbed the top spot in pool ‘B’, replacing, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), after notching up a huge innings and 186-run win against Karachi Blues in the ninth round match of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Championship match at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Karachi on Monday.

The PIA, who kept the top position in the early stages of the competition, eventually descended to the second place with 48 points after their match against Abbottabad ended in a draw with not a single ball being bowled on the last day, due to rainy weather in Abbottabad.

On the last day of the four-day match at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, SNGPL’s Samiullah Niazi bowled nicely as Karachi Blues could only add 30 more runs while losing the remaining five wickets of their second innings, after resuming at their overnight score of 180-5, before being bowled out for 210. The Karachi team were in pursuit of a formidable 396 to avert an innings defeat.

Sami finished with five for 23 while Karachi Blues batsman Mansoor Khan’s 101 went in vain. The massive victory lifted SNGPL’s aggregate to 54 from eight matches.

All other matches of the ninth round ended in draws as the rainy-cum-cloudy weather in the Northern part of the country badly hit the last day of country’s premier first-class contest.

The Faisalabad-Sialkot match, which could end in a thriller at the Sheikhupura Stadium, saw not a single ball being bowled due to bad weather. Sialkot required 204 more runs with all their wickets in hand. However, they failed to resume the innings from 45-0.

Fine century by opener Khalid Latif (124) helped Karachi Whites earn a draw against Wapda at the National Stadium, Karachi as the hosts, after carrying on from 94-2, ended the last day at 267-8 in their second innings after conceding a 110-run lead in the first innings.

Quetta, who had conceded a 217-run lead in the first innings, managed a drawn game against Rawalpindi at the KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi, mainly due to the weather as Quetta, in their second innings, from their overnight total of 25-0, could only add another 150 to steer the innings to 175-5, before the umpires called off the match.

A ten-wicket match haul by Abdur Rauf failed to help Multan earn a possible win against Lahore Ravi as the match ended in a draw at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Multan, who had conceded a 52-run lead in the first innings, dismissed the home team for 274 in their second to set themselves a winning target of 326. But several weather interruptions finally ended Multan’s chase at 49-3.

Summarised scores:

At Abbottabad Stadium, Abbottabad. Draw.

PIA (1st innings) 436; ABBOTTABAD (1st innings) 325-9 (Ghulam Mohammad 125, Riaz Kayl 65, Adnan Raees 44, Fawad Khan 47; Aizaz Bin Ilyas 3-17, Tahir Khan 3-52).

At Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Karachi. SNGPL win by an innings and 186 runs.

SNGPL (1st innings) 624-5 dec; KARACHI BLUES (1st innings) 228 and after follow-on 210 (Mansoor Khan 101 not out; Tahir Haroon 46; Samiullah Niazi 5-23).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad. Draw.

KRL (1st innings) 465; ISLAMABAD (1st innings) 254 and 276-6 (Rauf Akbar 80 not out, Asadullah 54 retired hurt).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Draw

LAHORE RAVI (1st innings) 397 and 274 (Junaid Zia 54, Kashif Siddique 50, Saad Nasim 44; Abdur Rauf 5-80, Sohaib Maqsood 3-69); MULTAN (1st innings) 345 and 49-3.

At Sheikhupura Stadium. Draw.

FAISALABAD (1st innings) 193 and 215; SIALKOT (1st innings) 161 and 45-0.

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi. Draw.

QUETTA (1st innings) 173 and 175-6 (Hameedullah 67, Jalat Khan 50; Yasir Ali 3-39); RAWALPINDI (1st innings) 390-8.

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar. Draw.

ZTBL (1st innings) 398; PESHAWAR (1st innings) 141 (Zohaib Khan 4-16, Mohammad Khalil 3-36) and 113-4 (Azam Jan 51 not out).

At National Stadium, Karachi.

KARACHI WHITES (1st innings) 315 and 267-8 (Khalid Latif 124, Asim Kamal 61; Azharullah 5-59); Wapda (1st innings) 425 (Nawaz Sardar 75, Ahmed Said 69, Tariq Aziz 70; Tanveer Ahmed 3-112, Tabish Nawab 3-127).