KARACHI: Karachi Blues’ prospects of retaining first-class status vanquished as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) dismissed them for 147 to earn a massive 229-run lead on the first innings of their final-round inter-region qualifying tournament fixture here on Tuesday.

Fata, who currently top pool ‘A’ with 18 points, are now certain to play first-class cricket for the first time in their history when they officially qualify for the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy at the conclusion of the match at the UBL Sports Complex.

Resuming at the overnight position of 351-8, Fata reached 376 all out with all-rounder Asif Afridi scoring 23 of the 25 runs before he was out for a magnificent 108 (off 123 balls, 17 fours and two sixes).

Karachi Blues then had no answer to the pace of Mohammad Sarwar who sliced through their innings to grab six wickets for 47 runs in 14.3 overs. Saud Shakeel (37) and Babar Hussain Agha (38) provided the only meaningful partnership by adding 46 for the fifth wicket.

After skipper Fawad Khan decided against enforcing the follow on, Fata lost six wickets in making 79 runs in the second innings to have an overall lead of 308 runs at stumps.

After two heavy losses, Faisalabad appeared on course for a morale-boosting after a seventh-wicket stand of 149 between skipper Hasan Mahmood (67) and Ali Rafiq (82) lifted them to 254 in reply to Abbottabad’s 156 at the NBP Sports Complex.

By close of play, Abbottabad were 67-4 while still trailing by 31 runs.

Sialkot, who head pool ‘B’ with 19 points, had second-placed Lahore Blues on the run at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Having resumed at 284-9, Sialkot prospered through a remarkable last-wicket stand of 125 between Faisal Rasheed (105 not out off 196 balls, 10 fours and two sixes) and Hasan Ali (51 off 78, four fours and three sixes) to total 359 all out.

Lahore Blues, needing victory in this game to earn the right to play in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, found themselves in turmoil at 164-5 with Fahad-ul-Haq holding the fort with a fighting 65.

Bahawalpur took a lead of 48 runs after collecting 195 in response to Multan’s 147 at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad. By stumps, Multan had made 164-6 in their second innings.

In the qualifying competition for departments, current leaders Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) consolidated their grip against second-placed Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan.

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir wrecked KRL batting with six wickets for 32 in 14 overs to send them packing for 137 in reply to SSGC’s 243.

Starting their second innings with a cushion of 106 runs behind them, SSGC extended their lead to 229 by closing the day at 123-3.

Centuries from opener Saad Ali (144 off 290 balls, 15 fours and two sixes) and Israrullah (130 off 176, 15 fours and one six) drove State Bank into a commanding position against Karachi Port Trust (KPT) at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

Replying to KPT’s paltry tally of 163, the bankers amassed 444-5 to be in front by 281 runs.

PIA are now doomed to play in second-tier completion as ZTBL built a healthy lead at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

After bowling PIA for 168 on Monday, ZTBL began day two at 63-1 and reached stumps at 312-4, thanked to excellent batting from Zohaib Khan (103 not out off 309 balls, 10 boundaries) and Rameez Alam (122 off 215, 21 fours) with the pair adding 188 for the fourth wicket.

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

Inter-department qualifying tournament:

Third round:

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: SSGC 243 in 82 overs (Tariq Haroon 87, Mohammad Amir 69 not out; Mohammad Abbas 4-52, Majid Ali 2-43, Sadaf Hussain 2-48) and 123-3 in 39 overs (Usman Tariq 47, Asif Zakir 30, Muzammil Nizam 27 not out; Nauman Ali 2-17); KRL 137 in 43 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr 50, Nauman Ali 30, Usman Arshad 28; Mohammad Amir 6-32, Mohammad Irfan 2-22).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: KPT 163 in 71 overs (Ahmed Iqbal 60 not out, Taimur Ali 30; Kamran Ghulam 3-24, Nazar Hussain 3-38, Mohammad Naveed 2-33); STATE BANK 441-5 in 106 in 106 overs (Saad Ali 144, Israrullah 130, Kamran Ghulam 74 not out, Mukhtar Ahmed 28, Abid Ali 25).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: PIA 168 in 60.2 overs (Fahad Iqbal 56, Aizaz Cheema 37; Sohail Tanvir 4-20, Zohaib Khan 3-26); ZTBL 312-4 in 113 overs (Rameez Alam 122, Zohaib Khan 103 not out, Aaqib Shah 26 not out, Ahmed Rasheed 26; Aqeel Arshad 2-53).

Inter-regional qualifying tournament:

Pool ‘A’:

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: FATA 376 in 99.4 overs (Asif Afridi 108, Rehan Afridi 78, Fawad Khan 61, Khushdil Shah 30; Salman Zaib 3-53, Mirza Ahsan Jamil 3-92, Zohaib Shera 2-70) and 79-6 in 25 overs (Zohaib Shera 3-25, Waqar Anwar 2-23); KARACHI BLUES 147 in 48.3 overs (Babar Hussain Agha 38, Saud Shakeel 37; Mohammad Sarwar 6-47, Atif Afridi 3-23)

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: ABBOTTABAD 156 in 55.2 overs (Rameez Ahmed 50, Adnan Younis 48, Ikramullah 22 not out; Atif Manzoor 5-57, Ali Rafiq 2-21, Shahabul Khan 2-56) and 67-4 in 25 overs (Khalilullah 22 not out; Atlas Khan 4-29); FAISALABAD 254 in 98.4 overs (Ali Rafiq 82, Hasan Mahmood 67, Asif Ali 42, Waqas Asif 23; Fawad Malook 5-27, Fazle Rabbi 2-38, Ikramullah 2-38).

Pool ‘B’:

At National Stadium, Karachi: SIALKOT 359 in 108.5 overs (Faisal Rasheed 105 not out, Mansoor Amjad 89, Hasan Ali 51, Atiq-ur-Rehman 30, Ahsan Bhatti 21; Aftab Azhar 3-54, Saad Nasim 3-74, Bilawal Iqbal 2-70); LAHORE BLUES 164-5 in 71 overs (Fahad-ul-Haq 65 not out, Saad Nasim 35, Waqas Saleem 31; Hasan Ali 2-54).

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: MULTAN 147 in 62.1 overs (Mohammad Asim 48, Aftab Niazi 30, Naveed Alam 23; Kamran Hussain 4-32, Imranullah Aslam 3-20, Zahir Siddiqui 2-52) and 164-6 in 54 overs (Hafiz Ilyas 75 not out, Mohammad Asim 41; Imranullah Aslam 3-59, Kamran Hussain 2-26); BAHAWALPUR 195 in 60.4 overs (Kamran Hussain 52, Adeel Basit 37, Zahid Siddiqui 23 not out, Kamran Ata 24; Mohammad Irfan 4-40, Usman Mushtaq 3-45, Umair Arshad 2-62).

Published in Dawn, October 7th , 2015

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