KARACHI: It would take a huge turnaround from National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to avoid defeat in the Gold League final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship after a flawless double century by Mohammad Rizwan helped Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) earn an unassailable 301-run lead here on Wednesday.

With two days still remaining, the demoralised NBP need to bat with sheer determination, something that sadly lacked when they SNGPL dictate terms to them on day three with Rizwan providing a superb exhibition of batting as the young right-hander scored a career-best 224.

Already in the lead at 278-4 in reply to NBP’s first-innings total of 242, SNGPL serenely took the game away as they reached a mammoth 543 when the last wicket fell in the penultimate over of the evening.

On a pitch favouring batsmen as per traditions at the midway stage of the final, Rizwan and his overnight partner Khurram Shehzad, who contributed a fine 120, extended their Tuesday’s partnership of 113 to 251 before NBP finally broke through in the afternoon session.

Fawad Alam, who was mystifyingly not called upon to turn his arm over by skipper Kamran Akmal until 122 overs had lapsed, forced Khurram nicking a catch to Kamran as NBP celebrated their first wicket since late Tuesday afternoon after four hours of trying.

Khurram, the 32-year-old right-hander from Faisalabad, faced 165 balls and laced his 10th first-class century with 14 boundaries as well three sixes against the left-arm spin of Raza Hasan (who was hoisted twice) and Mohammad Nawaz after began at his Tuesday’s tally of 41.

But the day belonged to Rizwan, who resumed the day on 126. The 22-year-old right-hander surpassed his highest score of an undefeated 154 which he made for his native Peshawar in last season’s Quaid Trophy against Sialkot at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in January 2013.

By lunch Rizwan had moved to 176 in the team’s total of 389-4. In the middle session of play, he hit just two boundaries while scoring 33 runs off 97 deliveries. In contrast to his first 100 runs (102 to be exact) which came off only 142 balls, Rizwan brought up his double ton on the 347th ball he faced, scoring 99 from 205 deliveries.

SNGPL head coach Basit Ali was livid when Rizwan got himself dismissed to an ugly shot. Trying a wild heave against Raza, he only succeeded in top-edging a simple catch down Zia-ul-Haq’s throat at mid-off in the post-tea session.

Rizwan’s marathon vigil in the middle lasted a grand total of eight hours and 28 minutes during which he negotiated 399 balls and struck 28 boundaries. His partnership with fellow wicket-keeper/batsman Adnan Akmal yielded 94 for the sixth wicket in 126 minutes.

The departure of Rizwan and that of Adnan for a 118-ball 57 (six fours) almost stopped the flow of runs as NBP bowlers delivered five consecutive maiden overs. Adnan’s dismissal was marked by a show of some regret from elder brother Kamran who even didn’t appeal for the catch that enabled Zia to claim his second wicket after toiling through 19 overs following his first success on the second day.

The tail didn’t resist much as Fawad snared two of the last three wickets to emerge as the most successful bowler with three for 33 in 12 overs. Wahab Riaz generally looked below par and had to wait until his 27th over for his first victim when Yasir Shah provided Nasir Jamshed his third catch of the innings.

Scoreboard

NATIONAL BANK (1st Innings) 242 (Mohammad Nawaz 76, Qaiser Abbas 59, Umar Waheed 48; Manzoor Khan 5-43, Azhar Ali 2-35).

SNGPL (1st Innings, overnight 278-4): Naeemuddin b Zia 25 Taufiq Umar c Nasir b Ahmed 18 Azhar Ali c Kamran b Ahmed 24 Mohammad Rizwan c Zia b Raza 224 Ali Waqas c Nasir b Raza 31 Khurram Shehzad c Kamran b Fawad 120 Adnan Akmal c Kamran b Zia 57 Yasir Shah c Nasir b Wahab 4 Imran Ali c Kamran b Fawad 12 Asad Ali c Raza b Fawad 9 Manzoor Khan not out 3

EXTRAS (LB-7, W-2, NB-7) 16

TOTAL (all out, 173 overs) 543

FALL OF WKTS: 1-40, 2-70, 3-70, 4-165, 5-416, 6-510, 7-519, 8-519, 9-536.

BOWLING: Zia-ul-Haq 34-9-112-2; Wahab Riaz 28-6-70-1 (4nb, 1w); Ahmed Jamal 27-4-103-2 (1w); Raza Hasan 52-12-161-2 (3nb); Mohammad Nawaz 20-3-57-0; Fawad Alam 12-1-33-3.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2014