KARACHI: After having been at the receiving end for most of this season, Lahore Lions finally roared on Monday when they dismissed Karachi Dolphins for a paltry 132 in their Gold League clash of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship.

The Lions, six-time losers in their previous seven games, were fortunate to win the toss at the LCCA Ground in Lahore and amply capitalised in seaming conditions to take seven wickets in the first session.

Left-armer Malik Aftab wrecked the top-order batting by taking the first four wickets, including that of Dolphins skipper Rameez Raja for a second-ball duck. Fellow left-armer Bilawal took two before Mohammad Saeed completed the rout with four.

Barring Yasir Mushtaq (20 off 50 balls) and the left-handed Saad Ali (19 off 48) the rest failed to apply themselves.

The Lions then prospered thanks to a third-wicket stand of 73 between upcoming left-hander Umar Siddique (44 off 111 balls, six boundaries) and Agha Salman (38 off 70, five fours) to reach 142-4 when stumps were drawn for the day.

Wapda’s attempt to dismiss Port Qasim Authority (PQA) at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore was thwarted by a fighting seventh-wicket stand between Daniyal Ahsan and Mohammad Sami.

After being invited to bat first, PQA struggled to 93-6 before Daniyal (74 not out off 144 balls, 10 fours) and Sami (75 off 128, 10 fours and one six) added 142 in 173 minutes.

Former Pakistan U-19 paceman Azhar Attari claimed three wickets after the in-form Mohammad Ali Bhutta had made the initial breakthrough with a brace.

A superb partnership of 199 between ex-Pakistan U-19 players Umar Waheed and Mohammad Nawaz guided NBP to 281-3 after UBL put them into bat at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

Umar led the way by making an undefeated 118 to record his second first-class ton. The right-hander, touted as future of Pakistan batting, struck 13 boundaries during his 166-ball effort in 248 minutes.

Nawaz, who arrived at the fall of second wicket at 42, missed out on a second century in first-class cricket by just two runs when he was caught behind for a 157-ball 98 (12 fours and one six).

Leaders Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) recovered from 66-4 to collect 219-6 after they decided to bat first against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) at the Marghazar Cricket Ground in the federal capital.

Ali Waqas (47) and Khurram Shehzad, who is batting on 73 (137 balls, 12 boundaries), revived the innings by sharing a partnership of 113.

Majid Ali returned career-best analysis of 5-46 in 15 overs to help the winless Multan Tigers bundle out Rawalpindi Rams for 137 after the visitors had elected to bowl first at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

But the Tigers, who are currently bottom of the standings with five defeats in seven matches, stuttered in their reply to 25-3.

Mohammad Irfan, a 21-year-old playing his fifth first-class match, missed scoring a maiden century by only one run as Islamabad Leopards collected 230-4 after being sent in to bat by Peshawar Panthers at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar.

After losing both openers for 24, the left-handed Ali Sarfraz (67 off 130 balls, 10 fours) and Irfan (99 off 246, seven fours and two sixes) combined to add 140 for the third wicket.

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

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 259-7 in 83 overs (Mohammad Sami 75, Daniyal Ahsan 74 not out, Shahzaib Hasan 38, Khalid Latif 31; Azhar Attari 3-79, Mohammad Ali Bhutta 2-52) vs WATER AND POWER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: KARACHI DOLPHINS 132 in 34.5 overs (Yasir Mushtaq 20; Malik Aftab 4-27, Mohammad Saeed 4-47, Bilawal 2-50); LAHORE LIONS 142-4 in 43.3 overs (Umar Siddique 44, Agha Salman 38, Raza Ali Dar 27 not out; Adeel Malik 2-37, Shahzaib Ahmed Khan 2-52).

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: RAWALPINDI RAMS 137 in 44.1 overs (Zahid Mansoor 40, Usman Saeed 29; Majid Ali 5-46, Mohammad Asif 3-41, Mohammad Irfan 2-44); MULTAN TIGERS 25-3 in 16 overs (Ammar Ali 13 not out; Haseeb Azam 2-8).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: NATIONAL BANK 281-3 in 78.1 overs (Umar Waheed 118 not out, Mohammad Nawaz 98, Kamran Akmal 23 not out; Ali Zahid 2-85) vs UNITED BANK.

At Marghazar Cricket Ground, Islamabad: SUI NORTHERN GAS PIPELINES LIMITED 214-6 in 70 overs (Khurram Shehzad 73 not out, Ali Waqas 47, Naeemuddin 29; Sajjad Hussain 2-42, Rao Iftikhar 2-50, Rehan Riaz 2-72) vs ZARAI TARAQIATI BANK LIMITED.

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 230-4 in 85.3 overs (Mohammad Irfan 99, Ali Sarfraz 67, Faizan Riaz 32 not out; Azizullah 3-57) vs PESHAWAR PANTHERS.

Published in Dawn, November 25th , 2014