KARACHI: Amid confusions over the change of venue, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) progressed to 258-9 on the opening day of the Gold League Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship’s penultimate-round fixture against Port Qasim Authority (PQA) here at the National Stadium on Saturday.

The two teams were scheduled to meet at the Arabian Sea Country Club (ASCC) but both refused to play while claiming that the bowlers’ run-up area adjacent to the match pitch was too ‘dangerous’ and would lead to injuries if that the game had been allowed to go ahead, according to PQA head coach Rashid Latif and his SNGPL counterpart Basit Ali.

Following protests from both camps, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), realising importance of the fixture involving the top two teams in the standings, opted to switch the match to the National Stadium.

The PCB, while announcing the decision, said the originally scheduled game at the National Stadium between Karachi Dolphins and Peshawar Panthers will now be staged from Sunday at the ASCC and giving the ground authorities a day’s time to make the arena playable.

After being sent in by Khalid Latif, SNGPL lost their in-form opener Naeemuddin for two with the skipper himself catching the left-hander in the slips off evergreen Abdur Rauf. Imran Ali (51 off 72 balls, seven fours) and Azhar Ali put on 49 when Imran fell to Mohammad Sami.

Azhar then saw his predecessor as SNGPL captain, Adnan Akmal, run out for two. But after reaching 34 (82 balls, five boundaries), Azhar received an excellent delivery from the championship’s leading wicket-taker Sohail Khan which he nicked it to wicket-keeper Mohammad Waqas.

Ali Waqas batted solidly to strike 56 (123 balls, seven fours and one six) before he was trapped by Sohail after tea. Yasir Shah, playing his first game after taking 27 wickets in the five Tests that Pakistan played in recent weeks, departed for a first-ball duck when he slashed Sohail straight to Khalid at second slip.

Mohammad Rizwan ensured that SNGPL manage a respectable total. The wicket-keeper/batsman — who shared a sixth-wicket partnership of 85 with Ali Waqas and 59 for the ninth with Samiullah Khan Niazi (11) — is batting on 85 (140 balls, 13 boundaries).

Sohail has so far taken four for 111 and Rauf 2-42.

A fifth-wicket stand of 107 between Shahid Yousuf (77 not out off 150 balls, 12 fours) and Ammar Mahmood (39) guided Zarai Taraqiati Ban Limited (ZTBL) to 280-6 after National Bank skipper Kamran Akmal elected to bowl first at the NBP Sports Complex.

Stand-in skipper Ali Asad struck a fighting 91 (186 balls, eight fours) as United Bank reached 280-6 after winning the toss against Wapda at the UBL Sports Complex.

Paceman Mohammad Asif returned startling career-best analysis of 8-19 in 7.1 overs to help Multan Tigers, who won the toss, send Islamabad Leopards crashing to 54 all out after putting the visitors in to bat at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The Tigers, battling to avoid being relegated next season then found the going tough as they were dismissed for 121 in reply. Batting for the second time on day one, the Leopards collected 93-2 to lead by 26 runs.

Rawalpindi Rams were 121-3 after bowling out Lahore Lions for 129 at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad. Seamer Abid Hussain grabbed 6-47 after the Rams won the toss.

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

At National Stadium, Karachi: SNGPL 258-9 in 82.3 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 85 not out, Ali Waqas 56, Imran Butt 51, Azhar Ali 34; Sohail Khan 4-111, Abdur Rauf 2-42) vs PORT QASIM AUTHORITY.

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: UNITED BANK 249-6 in 90 overs (Ali Asad 91, Mohammad Wajihuddin 40 not out, Umair Khan 35; Mohammad Irfan 3-111, Azhar Attari 2-62) vs WAPDA.

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: ZTBL 280-6 in 90 overs (Shahid Yousuf 77 not out, Yasir Hameed 59, Sharjeel Khan 43, Zohaib Khan 38, Ammar Mahmood 39; Zia-ul-Haq 3-69, Mohammad Asghar 2-83) vs NATIONAL BANK.

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: LAHORE LIONS 129 in 47.1 overs (Raza Ali Dar 42, Umar Siddique 30; Abid Hasan 6-47, Baber Naeem 3-12); RAWALPINDI RAMS 121-3 in 32.1 overs (Sarmad Hameed 42, Munir Ansari 31, Zahid Mansoor 25 not out; Bilawal 2-40).

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 54 in 14.1 overs (Mohammad Asif 8-19, Sadaif Mehdi 2-24) and 93-2 in 16.4 overs (Salman Haider 36, Ali Sarfraz 34 not out; Sadaif Mehdi 2-17); MULTAN TIGERS 121 in 35 overs (Gulraiz Sadaf 24; Hamza Nadeem 4-41, Zohaib Ahmed 4-51).

Published in Dawn December 7th , 2014