KARACHI: An unbroken century partnership between Shoaib Khan and Tahir Khan dug PIA out of deep trouble after National Bank posted 323 in their first innings on the second day of their fourth-round President’s Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship match in Lahore on Monday.

After Test paceman Aizaz Cheema claimed the last two National Bank wickets with just six being added to Sunday’s score, PIA lost four wickets for mere 17 runs after reaching 127-3. Among those dismissed was opener Shahzar Mohammad for a patient 61 (138 balls, 10 boundaries).

But Shoaib, who is batting with 84 (152 balls, nine fours) and Tahir (32) then came together in a defiant stand of 112 in a shade over two hours to carry PIA to 256-7 at draw of stumps.

Three of the wickets fell to left-handed all-rounder Qaiser Abbas who was out very early in the day without adding to his overnight tally of 106.

State Bank staged a good comeback in their top-of-the-table clash with Habib Bank at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. After restricting the current leaders — who were 242-4 on day one — to 327 all out, State Bank closed at 157-4 in reply.

Seasoned Pakistan batsman Younis Khan lasted just three deliveries. The Habib Bank skipper failed to add to his Sunday’s score of 101 when he was cleaned up by paceman Mohammad Ali. His 202-ball knock, lasting 281 minutes, contained 10 hits to the fence.

Rameez Aziz, with whom Younis was involved in a partnership worth 101 for the fifth wicket, offered a return catch to State Bank captain Kashif Siddique after making a fine 91 (170 balls, seven boundaries and one six). Kashif, who bowls occasional off-spin, finished with good figures of four for 39 with Ali capturing 3-62 in 24 overs.

Rising fast bowler Ehsan Adil claimed three wickets for 35 runs when Habib Bank took the field.

United Bank’s Mohammad Irshad (4-44 in 17 overs) kept his side on top as Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) stuttered to 173-6 after the visitors posed 319 at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi. The sturdy paceman, who had initially sent back Mohammad Yasin, rocked KRL batting with three quick wickets after the home team had advanced to 138-1.

Veteran left-hander Saeed Anwar Jr, who had shared a second-wicket stand of 117 with Zain Abbas (57 off 117 balls, seven fours), was at the crease with 67 (133 balls, 11 boundaries) when former Test batsman Bazid Khan fell to slow left-armer Kashif Bhatti for 11 in the last over of the day’s play.

Port Qasim Authority (PQA) had another torrid outing with the bat as Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) earned a 22-run lead on the first innings by bowling out their opponents for 244 at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

Daniyal Ahsan was the top run-getter with a 114-ball 61 (seven fours) after PQA crashed to 155-7. Pacemen Imran Ali (4-52), Samiullah Niazi (3-47) and Bilawal Bhatti (2-60) shared the wickets.

SNGPL lost Pakistan Twenty20 skipper Mohammad Hafeez (2) in the second over of their second innings to slow left-armer Azam Hussain before reaching stumps at 38-1.

A superb undefeated innings of 103 from the talented Haris Sohail carried Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZBTL) to 261-7 after Wapda had made 294 at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha.

The left-handed batsman struck nine fours and one six and faced 183 balls in just over four hours.

Earlier, ZTBL captain Abdul Razzaq grabbed two more wickets with his medium-pacers to finish with five for 58 in 17 overs as Wapda lost three wickets for 10 runs on day two.

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

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: NATIONAL BANK 323 in 83 overs (Qaiser Abbas 106, Wahab Riaz 52, Nasir Jamshed 35; Aizaz Cheema 4-81, Tahir Khan 3-

83, Anwar Ali 2-46); PIA 256-7 in 80 overs (Shoaib Khan 84 not out, Shahzar Mohammad 61, Tahir Khan 32 not out; Qaiser Abbas 3-35, Wahab Riaz 2-69).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: HABIB BANK 327 in 104.1 overs (Younis Khan 101, Rameez Aziz 91, Hasan Raza 41, Shan Masood 30; Kashif Siddique 4-39, Mohammad Ali 3-62, Saad Altaf 2-100); STATE BANK 157-4 in 59 overs (Usman Saeed 44 not out, Mohtashim Ali 43; Ehsan Adil 3-35).

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: SNGPL 266 in 69.2 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 91, Ali Waqas 56; Azam Hussain 4-41, Abdur Rauf 2-49, Mohammad Sami 2-75) and 38-1 in 11 overs; PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 244 in 76.3 overs (Daniyal Ahsan 61, Khurram Manzoor 38; Imran Ali 4-52, Samiullah Khan Niazi 3-47, Bilawal Bhatti 2-60).

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: WAPDA 294 in 84.4 overs (Sohaib Maqsood 110, Bilal Khilji 53, Aamir Sajjad 39; Abdul Razzaq 5-58, Mohammad Khalil 3-89); ZTBL 261-7 in 79 overs (Haris Sohail 103 not out, Babar Azam 52; Zulfiqar Babar 3-63, Nawaz Sardar 2-36).

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: UNITED BANK 319 in 111.5 overs (Abid Ali 130, Mohammad Sami 58; Mohammad Irfan 4-82, Yasir Ali 3-47, Rahat Ali 2-78); KRL 173-6 in 51.2 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr 67 not out, Zain Abbas 57; Mohammad Irshad 4-44, Kashif Bhatti 2-53).