KARACHI: All-rounder Sarmad Bhatti and Shehzad Azam Rana spared Islamabad from a precarious position with an unfinished century partnership which helped the visitors reach 260-9 against Karachi Blues on the first day of their Super Eight Group ‘A’ tie in the Faysal Bank Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship here on Friday.

Coming together at 160-9 after skipper Imad Wasim opted to bat first here at the NBP Sports Complex, Sarmad and Shehzad have so far added exactly 100 runs in 117 minutes with both notching up their best scores in first-class cricket.

Sarmad engineered the rescue work by striking 85 from 163 balls with six fours and one six, while Shehzad’s 94-ball 47 contains four fours and one six.

Slow left-armers Faraz Ahmed Khan was the pick of the Blues’ bowling with five wickets for 75 in 27 overs.

Karachi Whites made steady progress to collect 225-6 after Peshawar captain Jamaluddin chose to put the opposition in to bat at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar.

Daniyal Mansoor hit his second consecutive half-century. This time he made 57. Fellow opener Fazal Subhan struck six fours in making 32 out of the opening stand of 63. Mohammad Waqas (33 not out) and wicket-keeper Mohammad Hasan, who is skippering Karachi Whites in this fixture, hit 36 while sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 63.

Paceman Taj Wali captured three wickets for 71 runs in 18 overs. Afaq Ahmed bowled tidily to take two for 43 in 20 overs. Both the Group ‘B’ matches saw bowlers dominating day one from the onset.

Multan recovered from 71-4 after losing the toss against Lahore Shalimar to post 210 in their first innings at the LCCA Ground in Lahore.

Abdul Rehman Muzammil (52 off 117 balls, six boundaries) and captain Kashif Naved (51 off 100 balls, nine fours and one six) pulled Multan out of trouble by putting on 94.

Spinners Mustafa Iqbal (4-38 in 15 overs), Agha Salman (3-68 in 22 overs) and Mohammad Irfan (2-49 in 20.5 overs) shared the wickets for the home side.

But Lahore Shalimar then ran into trouble when Aamir Yamin sent back openers Arsalan Arshad and Ali Zahid for ducks before closing at 61-3.

Rawalpindi gained control by dismissing Sialkot for 194 at the National Cricket Ground in Islamabad where Babar Naeem won the toss and decided to bowl first. His decision paid off handsomely as Sialkot nosedived to 39-6 with none of the batsmen dismissed reaching double figures.

After Bilal Hussain (16) was out with the total on 80, Salman Ali (64 off 92 balls, 13 fours) and wicket-keeper Ahmed Butt (44 off 72, seven fours and one six) put on 72 for the eighth wicket.

Haseeb Azam claimed four for 55 in 16 overs. Fellow seamer Nasir Malik took two for 52 in 23 overs, while Babar Naeem’s slow left-armers earned him three wickets for 16 runs in 10 overs.

Rawalpindi went to stumps at 52-0 with opener Adnan Mahmood forced to retire hurt after making 10.

In the Bottom Six Teams’ event, the first day’s play in the Pool ‘A’ fixture between Faisalabad and Hyderabad at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of saturated ground conditions.

In the Pool ‘B’ game at the Gohati Cricket Stadium in Swabi saw bowlers from both teams on song.

Paceman Aziz-ur-Rehman and slow left-armer Shakeel Ahmed each starred with four wickets to vindicate Abbottabad captain Waqar Orakzai’s decision to bowl first as Quetta were bundled out for 136 in 43.3 overs despite Umar Qasim contributing run-a-ball 49 from No 8.

But the hosts then stumbled to 50-6 in their reply with Quetta skipper Gohar Faiz (3-20) and Faizullah (2-13) doing damage with the new ball.—Sports Reporter

Close of play scores on Friday (day one of four):

Super Eight:

Group ‘A’:

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: ISLAMABAD 260-9 in 83 overs (Sarmad Bhatti 85 not out, Shehzad Azam Rana 47 not out, Afaq Raheem 35; Faraz Ahmed Khan 5-75, Usama Basharat 2-60) v KARACHI BLUES.

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: KARACHI WHITES 225-6 in 79 overs (Daniyal Mansoor 57, Mohammad Hasan 36, Mohammad Waqas 33 not out, Fazal Subhan 32; Taj Wali 3-71, Afaq Ahmed 2-43 v PESHAWAR.

Group ‘B’:

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: MULTAN 210 in 67.5 overs (Abdul Rehman Muzammil 52, Kashif Naved 51, Zeeshan Ashraf 38; Mustafa Iqbal 4-38, Agha Salman 3-68, Mohammad Irfan 2-49); LAHORE SHALIMAR 61-3 in 20 overs (Umar Siddique 37 not out; Aamir Yamin 2-17).

At National Cricket Ground, Islamabad: SIALKOT 194 in 59 overs (Salman Ali 64, Ahmed Butt 44; Haseeb Azam 4-55, Babar Naeem 3-16, Nasir Malik 2-52); RAWALPINDI 52-0 in 22 overs.

Bottom Six Teams:

Pool ‘A’:

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: FAISALABAD v HYDERABAD – no play (rain).

Pool ‘B’:

At Gohati Cricket Stadium, Swabi: QUETTA 136 in 43.3 overs (Umar Qasim 49, Taimur Ali 37; Shakeel Ahmed 4-48, Aziz-ur-Rehman 4-64, Fazle Rabbi 2-13); ABBOTTABAD 50-6 in 21 overs (Gohar Faiz 3-20, Faizullah 2-13).