December 27, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 16, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 26: Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi played a captain’s knock to propel Habib Bank Limited into a strong position against Karachi Whites in a crunch Pool ‘A’ match of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship at the UBL Sports Complex in Karachi on Wednesday.

Afridi struck a blazing 70 off 78 balls as the bankers amassed 329-7 by close of the day’s play. Afridi, who hit five sixes and seven fours, added 122 for the fourth-wicket with Hasan

Raza (65 with four fours and one six).

Test spinner Abdul Rehman hit 47 before Aftab Khan (40) and Kamran Hussain (39) put on 72 for the unbroken eighth-wicket partnership.

Left-arm spinner Faraz Ahmed finished with figures of 4-74.

In another important match of the same group, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), with a match in hand are also in contention for the final, were in sight of victory over Sialkot, who were set a target of 367 at the end of the penultimate day’s play at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

NBP, who mustered a lead of 141 runs on the first innings, declared their second innings at 225-5 after pacemen Wahab Riaz (5-64) and Uzair-ul-Haq (3-62) bowled out Sialkot for 203.

In a match of academic nature, the Group ‘B’ leaders Sui Northern Gas Pile Lines (SNGPL) had bundled out the lowly-rated Quetta for first innings score of 195 at the Gaddafi Stadium.

SNGPL, who had already qualified for the final from Pool ‘B’, were 75 without loss by close of play.

Fine unbeaten century by Ijaz Ahmed (167) helped Faisalabad to pile up 330-6 in the first innings against Lahore Ravi at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad. Ijaz hit 23 boundaries and two sixes. Ammar Mahmood (76) was the other key contributor, despite Imran Haider took four for 105.

At the LCCA Ground, Lahore Shalimar were reeling at 19-6 against Abbottabad as 16 wickets fell on the first day.

First Abbottabad were all out for a moderate first innings total of 236 with Khalid Usman being the top scorer (66). Mohammad Naved (4-77) and Mohammad Saeed (4-54) were the main successful bowlers.

In other matches, having no major affect on the teams’ standing, the first day of the match between Hyderabad and Pakistan Customs washed out at Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad.

Peshawar and Islamabad shared the honours equally at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad. Fine bowling by Rauf Akbar (5-48) restricted Peshawar to 202 all out. In reply, Islamabad were 86-3 by close of play.

Karachi Blues, who are certain to be demoted for next season, made steady progress to reach 260-8 against PIA at National Stadium. The highlight of their first innings was century on first-class debut by Shaharyar Ghani, who made 122 off 224 balls with 22 boundaries.

Scores on Wednesday (first day of four):

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi:

HABIB BANK 329-7 (Shahid Afridi 70, Hasan Raza 65, Abdul Rehman 47, Aftab Khan 40 not out; Fahad Khan 4-74) v KARACHI WHITES.

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore:

QUETTA 195 (Adil Raza 3-79, Adnan Rasool 3-23); SNGPL 75-0 (Mohammad Hafeez 45 not out).

Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad:

FAISALABAD 330-6 (Ijaz Ahmed 167, Ammar Mahmood 76; Imran Haider 4-105) v LAHORE RAVI.

At LCCA Ground, Lahore:

ABBOTTABAD 236 (Khalid Usman 66; Mohammad Naved 4-77, Mohammad Saeed 4-54); LAHORE SHALIMAR 19-6 (Junaid Khan 3-12, Armaghan Khan 3-6).

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad:

HYDERABAD v PAKISTAN CUSTOMS, no play.

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad:

PESHAWAR 202 (Sajjad Ahmed 62 not out, Riaz Afridi 44; Rauf Akbar 5-48, Ameer Khan 3-14); ISLAMABAD 86-3 (Mohammad Fayyaz 44 not out).

At National Stadium, Karachi:

KARACHI BLUES 260-8 (Shaharyar Ghani 122, Tabish Khan 48; Anwar Ali 4-62) v PIA.

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi:

RAWALPINDI 255-9 (Fawad Hussain 102 not out; Saeed Ajmal 3-26) v KRL.

At Multan Cricket Stadium (third day of four):

NATIONAL BANK 344 (Naved Latif 100) and 225-5 declared (Nasir Jamshed 48, Shahid Yousuf 46, Fawad Alam 46; Mohammad Imran 4-66); SIALKOT 203 (Haris Sohail 64, Kamran Younis 43; Wahab Riaz 5-64, Uzair-ul-Haq 3-62) and 33-0.