December 17, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 6, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 16: Despite a crucial match against runners-up National Bank (NBP) ending in draw on Sunday at the NBP Sports Complex, Karachi, the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy pool ‘A’ leaders Habib Bank Limited (HBL) have kept their chances for the final alive.

Gaining three points on their first innings lead of 44, HBL now have 66 points with their closest rivals NBP on 51 points. But NBP too can make it to the final if they win their remaining two matches against Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and Sialkot (the replay). It goes in NBP’s favour that both these teams are lowly-rated, trailing at the 8th and the 9th position in the 11-team group. Also HBL was defeated by the 6th-ranked Karachi Whites in their last match.

NBP after resuming their second innings at 86-1, crawled to 251-6 before umpires called off the match. Opener Nasir Jamshed (75) and Fawad Alam (66) were the top scorers.

Useful knocks from Shahbaz Butt (45 not out) and Waqas Ahmed (30 not out) at the LCCA ground, helped Lahore Ravi beat Sialkot by three wickets in a match with no bearing on the final spot.

Given a total of 213 to win, Lahore Ravi resumed the second innings at 177-7 with Shahbaz on 26 and Waqas on 14. They added a further 65 runs in the eight-wicket stand, taking the total to 214 in 54.1 overs to pull off the target without being separated. Waqas also took 10 wickets in the match.

Meanwhile Saeed Anwar Junior’s century (107) and Bazid Khan’s 78 helped Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) notch up a big win of 246 runs against Abbottabad, at the Abbottabad Stadium. Match results had to depend on the second innings scores as the first innings was washed out completely due to the rains.

In the second innings, KRL declared at 357-8. In reply, Abbottabad slumped at 111 as paceman Mohammad Irshad picked up four wickets for 37 runs.

Fine bowling by Abdur Rauf at the Multan Stadium helped the home team earn a nine-wicket win against Hyderabad. Rauf tumbled six wickets for 72. Hyderabad, who had conceded an 111-run lead in the first innings, were all out for 180 in the second after resuming at 98-2. Rauf’s spell of 25.1 overs included seven maidens. Multan then achieved the winning target of 70 for the loss of only Hamad Tariq (19) as Usman Tariq (29) and Sohaib Maqsood (15) took care of the rest.

Five wickets by leg-spinner Zohaib Khan (5-49) helped Zarai Tarraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) beat Karachi Blues by an innings and 181 runs at the UBL Sports Complex, Karachi.

After conceding a big lead of 327 in the first innings, Karachi Blues were all out in the second innings for another paltry total of 146 with Zohaib as wrecker-in-chief.

All other matches in the tournament ended in draw.

But in one interesting draw at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Karachi, SSGC gained three points in the first innings, after escaping defeat at the hands of Wapda. SSGC, who earned a 26 runs lead in the first innings, were given a winning target of 328 in the second innings and were 264-6 before umpires called off the match. Saeed bin Nasir’s century (104) had a key role in drawing the match.

SSGC were also served well by paceman Sohail Khan. Sohail bagged 16 wickets in the tie (7-80 and 9-109).

Summarised scores:

NBP Sports Complex, Karachi

Draw.

NBP (1st innings) 297. And 251-6 (Nasir Jamshed 75, Fawad Alam 66). HBL (1st innings) 341.

LCCA Ground, Lahore

Lahore Ravi win by three wickets

SIALKOT (1st innings): 88. And 288.

LAHORE RAVI (1st innings) 165. And 214-7 (Ashraf Ali 64, Shahbaz Butt 45 not out; Ali Bhutta 4-75).

Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Karachi

Draw.

WAPDA (1st innings) 200. And 353. SSGC (1st innings) 226. And 264-6 (Saeed bin Nasir 104, Atiq-uz-Zaman 41; Azhar Ullah 3-76).

Multan Stadium, Multan

Multan win by nine wickets.

HYDERABAD (1st innings) 335. And 180 (Abdur Rauf 6-72). MULTAN (1st innings) 446 and 70-1.

National Stadium, Karachi

Draw.

CUSTOMS (1st innings) 338 And 271 (Rehan Tariq 64, Mohammad Hassan 76; Mohammad Hasnain 4-72 Fawad Khan 4-54). KARACHI WHITES (1st innings) 280. And 60-4.

Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar

PESHAWAR (1st innings) 256. And 258, 77.3 overs (Usman Zaib 70,Shehzad Khan 53; Babar Naeem 3-14). RAWALPINDI (1ST innings) 316. And 46-1.

Diamond Club ground, Islamabad

Draw.

QUETTA (1st innings) 244. And 321-9 (Shoaib Khan 154, Jalat Khan 46; Rauf Akbar 7-95) ISLAMABAD (1st innings): 282. And 199-5 (Asghar Zaidi 99, Umair Khan 63; Faisal Irfan 3-53).

UBL Sports Complex, Karachi

ZTBL win by an innings 181 runs.

KARACHI BLUES (1st innings) 188. And 146 (Zohaib Khan 5-49, Kashif Dawood 3-28). ZTBL (1st innings) 515-5 decld.

Abbottabad Stadium

KRl win by 246 runs.

After first innings forfeited due to wash out on first day.

KRL (2nd innings) 356-8 decld. ABBOTABAD (2nd innings) 111 (Fawad Khan 40).