KARACHI: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) provided ample glimpses of their status as top side on the domestic circuit after reducing the United Bank Limited (UBL) to 89-6 on the second day of the President’s Trophy final at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on Thursday.

The SNGPL seldom gave their opponents any breathing space as the reigning champions put up a relentless bowling performance after Abid Ali and Hamza Paracha had given the UBL a decent start in reply to SNGPL’s 386 — a first-innings total which included a serene knock of 192 from opener Naeemuddin.

In an extended final session after the SNGPL had been dismissed on the stroke of tea, the UBL got off to a bright start with both Abid and Hamza striking boundaries against the experienced new-ball pair of Samiullah Khan Niazi and Asad Ali.

But the introduction of leg-spinner Yasir Shah spelled trouble for the bankers when Hamza was caught by Khurram for a 39-ball 22 after the first-wicket yielded 42 in 51 minutes.

Indecisive calling between Abid and incoming batsman Saad Sukhail resulted in the latter being run out for 11 before Yasir sent back Saeed bin Nasir, trapping the veteran right-hander lbw for five.

Imran Ali, the third seamer at SNGPL’s disposal then sent back Mohammad Wajihuddin for one to leave the UBL on the brink at 65-4. Without addition to the score, wicket-keeper Mohammad Zohaib was run out for a two-ball duck.

UBL’s miserable was further compounded when all-rounder Tariq Haroon didn’t capitalised on a dropped catch by SNGPL skipper Misbah-ul-Haq off Asad Ali. Misbah promptly made amends for that miss in the very next over when he pouched one into his palms at second slip to provide left-armer Samiullah a well-deserved first wicket.

While the wickets were going down, Abid — who has amassed 826 runs in the competition so far — stood his ground to finish the day on a painstaking 31 (five fours) from 102 deliveries after beginning his innings with two rather streaky boundaries in Asad’s opening over.

Abid now remains the last hope for the UBL to avoid the looming prospects of being asked to follow on as they head into Friday’s third day requiring another 98 runs to reach that milestone.

Earlier, Naeemuddin carried on from where he has left on Wednesday. Resuming on 117 in a SNGPL score of 226-3, the 32-year-old stocky opener continued to frustrate the opposition until he was the eighth out at 369.

No UBL bowler could find a way to dislodge him. Within sight of his second first-class double century, Naeemuddin finally perished in the only mode of dismissal possible for the UBL. He was run out after occupying the crease for nine hours and 31 minutes but after having hit 25 fours and one six during a marathon 425-ball effort.

Misbah, who was batting on 42 at the start of play, struck four more boundaries before falling lbw to Tariq for 67. The Pakistan and ODI skipper’s 162-ball innings was laced with eight fours and a brace of sixes, while his fourth-wicket stand with Naeemuddin was worth 128 in 213 minutes.

UBL skipper Atif Maqbool, who surprisingly didn’t bring himself on until after 23 overs of action had gone on Thursday, picked up the last two wickets to end up with figures of four for 84 in 33.1 overs.

Slow left-armer Kashif Bhatti had Khurram Shehzad and Adnan Akmal stumped on his way to taking two for 79 in 32 overs while Tariq toiled manfully for 42 overs to pick up two for 112.