March 21, 2008	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1429

KARACHI, March 20: Former Pakistan No 1 Khurram Agha and Atif Mughal shared day’s honours by hammering a century break apiece in the 33rd National Snooker Championship at Karachi Gymkhana on Thursday.

Incidentally, both are drawn in Group D and succeeded in ending the century-break jinx on the sixth day of the country’s premier championship of the game.

The fourth seeded Khurram piled up highest century break (105) to date as he continued his winning spree by getting the better of Sindh No 2, Qasim Kamani, 4-1. His break came in the fourth frame of the match which he won 59-7, 87-5, 64-71, 123-1, 55-27 in the last session.

In an earlier session, Punjab’s Atif Mughal, the 13th seed, slammed first century break (104) of the competition in his 4-1 triumph against province-mate Ali Shahzad Butt. He was home 54-22, 55-28, 49-58, 104-8, 66-17.

The top cueists are set to round-off their league matches on Friday which will determine their group positions. The league matches conclude on Saturday.

Top two players from each group will propel into the knockout pre quarter-finals to be played on Sunday.

Results:

Mohammad Riaz (Sindh) bt Mohammad Imran (Pun) 4-1 (88-7, 47-31, 47-56, 76-13, 44-29); Vishan Gir (Sindh) bt Mohammad Ali (Bal) 4-1 (66-36, 45-59, 73-8, 83-1, 51-33); Raees Khan (Pun) bt Sharjeel Mahmood (NWFP) 4-1 (47-24, 66-27, 69-6, 7-66, 99-8); Mohammad Nazeer (Pun) bt Mohammad Asif (Pun) 4-1 (61-60, 35-70, 67-25, 57-17, 68-50); Rambel Gul (NWFP) bt Salman Shaikh (Sindh) 4-2 (58-7, 8-72, 24-65, 60-24, 40-20, 48-24); Mohammad Shahid (Pun) bt Kamran Shah (Bal) 4-2 (78-24, 20-54, 68-14, 30-64, 103-5, 66-42); Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) bt Arshad Siddiq (NWFP) 4-2 (47-58, 69-29, 63-36, 87-30, 44-79, 53-28); Atif Mughal (Pun) bt Ali Shahzad Butt (Pun) 4-1 (54-22, 55-28, 49-58, 104-8, 66-17); Naveen Perwani (Sindh) bt Abdul Rauf Kurd (Bal) 4-0 (59-27, 58-31, 60-1, 57-9); Shehram Changezi (Pun) bt Nouman Awan (NWFP) 4-1 (46-59, 70-21, 113-8, 83-4, 56-39); Farhan Noor (Pun) bt Abu Saim (Pun) 4-1 (77-57, 55-26, 44-73, 62-21, 78-9); Imtiaz Sarwer (Pun) bt Javed Ansari (Sindh) 4-1 (69-14, 83-82, 8-87, 70-28, 60-24); Saleh Mohammad (NWFP) bt Ali Daryab (Bal) 4-1 (78-8, 78-7, 74-16, 31-57, 72-40); Khurram Agha (Sindh) bt Qasim Kamani (Sindh) 4-1 (59-7, 87-5, 64-71, 123-1, 55-27).

Friday’s fixtures:

Saleh Mohammad v Rambel Gul, Imran Shahzad v Mohammad Shahid, Mohammad Yousuf v Sohail Shehzad, Khurram Agha v Atif Mughal at 10.00am; Naveen Perwani v Mohammad Riaz, Shehram Changezi v Vishan Gir, Abu Saim v Raees Khan, Imtiaz Sarwer v Mohammad Nazeer at 12.00noon; Salman Shaikh v Mohammad Asif Toba, Kamran Shah v Waqas Malik, Arshad Siddiq v Ahsan Javed, Ali Shahzad Butt v Hameedullah at 2.00pm; Mohammad Imran v Mohammad Sajjad, Mohammad Ali v Abdul Sattar, Sharjeel Mahmood v Ayaz Khan, Mohammad Asif v Mohammad Aqeel at 4.00pm.