KARACHI: Gangly Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan grabbed a convoluted hat-trick as Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) seized control of their Silver League fixture against Karachi Zebras in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship here on Friday.

The left-armer was all over the hapless Zebras batsmen from the word go once Saeed Anwar Jr had decided to field first in the third-round tie at the UBL Sports Complex.

Used sparingly, Irfan first trapped Ahmer bin Nasir leg-before on the last ball of his opening over for a five-ball duck before fellow left-arm paceman Sadaf Hussain sent back the other opener, Jahangir Shah, leg-before for no run.

Irfan then won another LBW verdict against Zeeshan Mushtaq (two-ball 1) with the first delivery of his second over and bowled Jaahid Ali for a first-ball duck to complete the hat-trick.

At that stage, the Zebras were in mire at four down for six runs. The reason they managed 83 all out in 27.3 overs was because of Ahmed Iqbal’s gutsy unbeaten 38 (75 balls, four boundaries).

Skipper Owais Ahmed Rehmani scored 20 – the only other double-digit score in the entire innings – before Yasir Arafat mopped up the tail.

Irfan finished with 3-10 in seven overs, Sadaf two for 22 in six and Yasir 4-25 in 8.1 overs.

Openers Imam-ul-Haq (51 off 131 balls, eight boundaries) and Mohammad Yasin (28 off 45, four fours) provided solid start of 50. Saeed retired hurt with back spans after an uncomfortable stay of 34 minutes. But Usman Arshad (33) and Ali Khan (18) carried KRL to 154-3 at stumps.

Lahore Eagles thwarted PIA’s bid to bowl out the regional side cheaply by recovering from 111-5 to reach 203-7 at the LCCA Ground in Lahore.

After being asked to bat first, the Eagles struggled in the first half of the day before skipper Asif Raza (64 off 146, nine fours) and Mohammad Waheed (35 off 73, five fours) added 83 for the sixth wicket.

Despite half-centuries from Fakhar Zaman and Mirza Asad Baig, Habib Bank were made to fight for runs after being sent in to bat by Faisalabad Wolves at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

By draw of stumps, Habib Bank had collected 240-6 in 85 overs. The left-hander Fakhar hit 11 boundaries in making 69 from 124 deliveries, while Asad made 72 (169 balls, eight fours) as the second-wicket put together a partnership of 93.

Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) had Sialkot Stallions reeling at 8-2 after being bowled out for a modest 210 after losing the toss at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

Usman Tariq played a captain’s knock of 66 (106 balls, 10 fours) for SSGC while Tabish Khan used the long handle to good effect in making a run-a-ball unbeaten 43 (five fours).

Paceman Hasan Ali, 20, claimed five wickets for 97 runs in 22 overs.

Tabish then quickly got rid of Stallions’ openers Nauman Anwar (3) and debutant Tahir Nadeem (0) to return current figures of 2-2 in two overs.

Abbottabad Falcons made partial recovery to reach 183-5 in 68.3 overs after they were put in by State Bank captain Mohammad Naved at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium in Abbottabad.

The opening day’s play in the Quetta Bears-Pakistan Television game at the National Cricket Ground in Islamabad was completely washed out.

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

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: KARACHI ZEBRAS 83 in 27.3 overs (Ahmed Iqbal 38 not out; Yasir Arafat 4-25, Mohammad Irfan 3-10, Sadaf Hussain 2-22); KRL 154-3 in 60 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 51, Usman Arshad 33 not out; Mansoor Ahmed 2-58).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE EAGLES 203-7 in 82 overs (Asif Raza 64, Mohammad Waheed 35; Hazrat Shah 2-54, Tahir Khan 2-70) vs PIA.

At National Cricket Ground, Islamabad: QUETTA BEARS vs PAKISTAN TELEVISION – no play because of rain.

Group-II:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: HABIB BANK 240-6 in 85 overs (Mirza Asad Baig 72, Fakhar Zaman 69; Shehroz Raza 2-61, Imran Ali 2-73) vs FAISALABAD WOLVES.

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: SSGC 210 in 50.4 overs (Usman Tariq 66, Tabish Khan 43 not out, Awais Zia 34; Hasan Ali 5-97, Ali Zubair 2-22, Waqas Ahmed 2-63); SIALKOT STALLIONS 8-2 in 4 overs (Tabish Khan 2-2).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 183-5 in 68.3 overs (Khalilullah 46 not out, Waqar Orakzai 40, Mohammad Ali 38; Saad Altaf 3-52) vs STATE BANK.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2014