KARACHI: Karachi Blues found the going tough again at the start of third round in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship when Habib Bank Limited (HBL) pace duo of Yamin Ahmadzai and Usman Khan Shinwari sent them back packing for a miserable first-innings’ tally of 157 on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Yamin, who has represented Afghanistan in three One-day Internationals, grabbed four wickets for 36 runs in 15 overs after Ammad Butt won a dubious leg-before-wicket decision against discarded Khurram Manzoor (0) early in the morning after HBL skipper Ahmed Shehzad put the regional side into bat at the UBL Sports Complex.

Karachi Blues, who lost to Wapda in the second-round match last Monday, would have been bowled out for under 100 but for defiant partnership between former Pakistan speedster Mohammad Sami and Basit Ali. Coming together at 90-8 in mid-afternoon, the pair added 59 when Sami sliced a cut off Yamin to point where Imam-ul-Haq held a sharp catch.

Sami’s 44 off 62 balls with five fours and one six was easily the best individual score of the innings, while Basit Ali (19) was last out to the let-armer Usman who finished with 3-13 in 11.4 overs.

In between those dismissals, ex-Pakistan slow left-armer Abdur Rehman broke a second-wicket stand of 59 between opener Haris Ali (26) and Fazal Subhan (34) by getting both of them caught behind by Jamal Anwar. Apart from Khurram, captain Khalid Latif and Wasim Ahmed also fell for ducks.

HBL were nicely placed for a substantial score as openers Imam (26) and Azeem Ghumman (20) guided them to 51 without loss in 16 overs.

In the dying minutes of play was marred by an incident when a female reporter of a private TV channel tried to create trouble by attempting to enter the HBL dressing-room in a bid to interview Ahmed Shehzad. According to an eyewitness, the intruder disturbed the peace of the change-room when she was asked to stay outside. But when the senior team officials intervened, the situation was brought under control.

The bowlers were on song at the National Stadium when as many as 18 wickets tumbled in the game between Karachi Whites and Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).

Shahzaib Hasan’s decision to field first paid off immediately when KRL lost openers Sardar Hasan (0) and Mohammad Yasin (0) with only two runs on the board to Maroof Aziz. But wickets continued to fall as the departmental side slid to 59-5 before wicket-keeper Zulfiqar Jan’s unbeaten 57 (off 115 balls, four sixes and three fours) lifted them to 145 all out.

Tabish Khan and Maroof both claimed three wickets each but their efforts went wasted as Karachi Whites found themselves reeling at 41-8 at draw of stumps. In an almost replica of the KRL innings, Karachi Whites lost both of their openers, Hamza Ghanchi and skipper Shahzaib, without scoring.

There was no recovery after that as Karachi Whites then lost three more wickets without a run to be 30-6. Left-arm paceman Sadaf Hussain (4-14 in 11 overs) and Mohammad Abbas (4-23 from 11) have already put KRL in driving seat.

In the day-night fixture at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, Wapda skipper Salman Butt returned to form with 76 (off 126 balls, nine boundaries) as Pool ‘A’ leaders went to the dinner interval at 156-2 from 56 overs.

Anas Mahmood struck 23 fours in making 147 from 203 balls to help Lahore Whites frustrate defending champions Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) with a respectable tally of 297-6 after returning Pakistan star Mohammad Hafeez opted to field first upon winning the toss at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Last season’s runners-up United Bank Limited (UBL) also had a hard day when Peshawar posted 300-8 after being put into bat by Shan Masood at the Arbab Niaz Stadium.

Opener Waqas Saleem (88) and Raza Ali Dar (74) lifted Lahore Blues from 61-3 to 214-6 by putting on 147 against Shoaib Malik-led Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) at the LCCA Ground in Lahore.

National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) hit back to reduce Rawalpindi from a healthy 178-3 to 256-8 after skipper Nasir Jamshed elected to bowl first at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

The prolonged struggle of PIA was extended by another day when the national carrier plummeted to 54-3 after bowling Fata for 237 in their first innings at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

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

Third round:

Pool ‘A’:

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: KARACHI BLUES 157 in 57.4 overs (Mohammad Sami 44, Fazal Subhan 34, Haris Ali 26; Yamin Ahmadzai 4-36, Usman Khan Shinwari 3-13, Abdur Rehman 2-33); HBL 51-0 in 16 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 26 not out, Azeem Ghumman 20 not out).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE BLUES 214-6 in 86 overs (Waqas Saleem 88, Raza Ali Dar 74, Mohammad Ikhlaq 30; Zafar Gohar 4-68, Zia-ul-Haq 2-37) vs SSGC.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi (day-night, dinner break): WAPDA 156-2 in 56 overs (Salman Butt 76, Adnan Raees 34Mohammad Saad 25 not out) vs ISLAMABAD.

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: PESHAWAR 300-8 in 86 overs (Ashfaq Ahmed 75, Israrullah 67, Mehran Ibrahim 49, Akbar Badshah 46; Sameen Gul 3-37, Karamat Ali 2-70) vs UBL.

Pool ‘B’:

At National Stadium, Karachi: KRL 145 in 56.2 overs (Zulfiqar Jan 57 not out, Saeed Anwar Jr 30, Abdul Rehman Muzammil 23; Tabish Khan 3-50, Maroof Aziz 3-51, Raza-ul-Hasan 2-4, Faraz Ali 2-22); KARACHI WHITES 41-8 in 22 overs (Sadaf Hussain 4-14, Mohammad Abbas 4-23).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: LAHORE WHITES 297-6 in 86 overs (Anas Mahmood 147, Gohar Hafeez 54, Farhan Khan 31 not out; Manzoor Khan 3-80, Imran Khalid 2-66) vs SNGPL.

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: FATA 237 in 62.5 overs (Fawad Khan 65, Asif Afridi 58, Mohammad Naeem 24, Mohammad Irfan 20; Tahir Khan 3-33, Ali Imran Pasha 3-47, Anwar Ali 2-48, Aizaz Cheema 2-57); PIA 54-3 in 16 overs (Kamran Sajid 26 not out; Irfanullah Shah 3-11).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: RAWALPINDI 256-8 in 85.5 overs Sarmad Hameed 85, Umar Waheed 68, Sohail Tanvir 34, Aaqib Shah 24; Altaf Ahmed 3-64, Atif Jabbar 2-48, Mohammad Irfan 2-78); vs NBP.

Published in Dawn October 16th, 2016