KARACHI: Umar Gul, raring to win back his spot in the national side, grabbed five wickets while his discarded Pakistan team-mate Aizaz Cheema starred with a six-wicket haul on the second day of the Silver League matches in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship on Monday.

Umar, who had taken three wickets on Sunday, finished with five for 90 in 28.2 overs to help Habib Bank dismiss Sialkot Stallions for 351 in their first innings at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. It was Umar’s 19th five-for in first-class cricket.

Wicket-keeper Jamal Anwar excelled with six dismissals, including five catches.

Left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman made a memorable debut for Habib Bank by striking 14 boundaries and one six in making 90 from 120 balls. Skipper Imran Farhat contributed 51 (64 balls, seven boundaries) in the first-wicket partnership of 97 with Fakhar.

By close of play, the bankers had advanced to 180-3.

PIA were in complete command against Karachi Zebras here at the NBP Sports Complex. After securing a healthy 145-run lead on the first innings by bundling out the Zebras for just 79, the national carrier went to stumps at 249-4 to hold an overall advantage of 394 runs.

Resuming at 55-5, the Zebras lost their remaining wickets for the addition of only 24 runs with Aizaz taking four of them to end with six for 26 in 10.5 overs. It was the 22nd time that the 35-year-old seamer had claimed five or more wickets at the first-class level.

His new-ball partner Najaf Shah took 4-33 in 14 overs.

The rest of the day was then dominated by Test reject Faisal Iqbal who hammered an undefeated 106 after PIA had lost three wickets for no run at one stage after the opening stand was worth 27.

But Faisal then partnered his younger brother Fahad Iqbal put on 204 in 249 minutes. Fahad was out for 89 (216 balls, eight fours). Faisal, who reached his 25th first-class century, laced his 183-ball innings with seven fours.

Paceman Babar Khan grabbed 5-48 as hosts Hyderabad Hawks dismissed Pakistan Television (PTV) for a paltry 126 at the Niaz Stadium. The Hawks, who earned a lead of 122, extended their lead to 252 by reaching 130-2 in their second innings.

Bahawalpur Stags were 53-0 after SSGC amassed 519 at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur.

Lahore Eagles took a lead of 80 runs after bowling out KRL for 172 at the LCCA Ground in Lahore. By stumps the Eagles collected 42-3 in their second turn.

Faisalabad Wolves made 94-3 in reply to State Bank’s 305 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

Close of play scores on Monday (day two of four):

Group-I:

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: PIA 224 in 58.4 overs (Shaharyar Ghani 49, Faisal Iqbal 44, Tahir Khan 35; Zohaib Shera 5-36, Mansoor Ahmed 2-51) and 249-4 in 78 overs (Faisal Iqbal 106 not out, Fahad Iqbal 89); KARACHI ZEBRAS 79 in 32.5 overs (Aizaz Cheema 6-26, Najaf Shah 4-33).

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: HYDERABAD HAWKS 248 in 79.5 overs (Lal Kumar 103 not out, Mohammad Sami 4-47, Ali Raza Jr 3-36, Usman Ashraf 3-42) and 130-2 in 43 overs (Faisal Athar 47 not out, Zeeshan Gul 41 not out); PTV 126 in 44.5 overs (Zeeshan Mushtaq 35; Babar Khan 5-48, Nasir Awais 3-14).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE EAGLES 252 in 98 overs (Fahad-ul-Haq 75, Bilawal Iqbal 42, Wahab Dar 40; Nauman Ali 4-81, Sadaf Hussain 3-48) and 42-3 in 24 overs (Fahad-ul-Haq 29 not out; Sadaf Hussain 3-16); KRL 172 in 40 overs (Shoaib Ahmed Minhas 80; Asif Raza 5-54, Shahid Nawaz 3-38).

Group-II:

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: SIALKOT STALLIONS 351 in 127.2 overs (Atiq-ur-Rehman 103, Faisal Khan 77, Bilal Asif 45, Ahmed Butt 41, Nauman Anwar 39; Umar Gul 5-90, Abdur Rehman 3-97); HABIB BANK 181-3 in 41.4 overs (Fakhar Zaman 90, Imran Farhat 51).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: STATE BANK 305 in 125.1 overs (Usman Salahuddin 68, Maqbool Ahmed 55, Naved Yasin 50, Faisal Yasin 5-86); FAISALABAD WOLVES 94-3 in 46 overs (Aamir Yamin 2-20).

At Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur: SSGC 519 in 122.5 overs (Awais Zia 164, Usman Tariq 111, Saifullah Bangash 74, Mohammad Waqas 35; Zahir Siddiqui 4-91, Abdur Rehman 3-109); BAHAWALPUR STAGS 53-0 in 7 overs (Mohammad Yasir 43 not out).

Published in Dawn, October 14th , 2014