KARACHI: Karachi Zebras overcame a stuttering start to reach 257-8 in their first innings on the opening day of their second-round Silver League fixture against Pakistan Television (PTV) in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship at the NBP Sports Complex here on Saturday.

Owais Ahmed Rehmani played a captain’s innings after the Zebras, opting to bat first at the toss, had nosedived to 98-5. The wicket-keeper/batsman ended the day undefeated on 85 (129 balls, 10 boundaries) after adding 91 for the sixth wicket with former Pakistan Under-19 all-rounder Ahmed Iqbal (41 off 88, five fours).

Paceman Usman Ashraf has so far taken three wickets for 56 runs.

Umar Gul, bidding to impress the national selectors with his fitness level to remain in contention for next year’s ICC World Cup, claimed his second straight five-for as Habib Bank Limited (HBL) put themselves on top against Abbottabad Falcons.

The 30-year-old seamer, who took 5-90 and 2-35 in the drawn game against Sialkot Stallions, picked up five for 41 in 15.4 overs as the Falcons were dismissed for 185 after skipper Imran Farhat opted to bowl first at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Umar Nawaz (49 off 87, six fours and one six) and Shakeel Ahmed (43 off 71, six fours and one six) were the major run-getters for the home side before HBL closed at 96-2 with Imran batting on a 72-ball 58 with the aid of 10 boundaries.

Mukhtar Ahmed, spoken highly as a future Pakistan player, hit his maiden first-class century as State Bank pulverised the Bahawalpur Stags bowling to the tune of 309-2 at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur.

Justifying skipper Mohammad Naved’s decision to bat first after winning the toss, opener Mukhtar, who made 0 and 64 on his first-class debut in the opening-round game against Faisalabad Wolves, slammed 144 while the left-handed Naved Yasin contributed an unbeaten 109.

Mukhtar struck 21 boundaries and one six during his 241-ball effort in 274 minutes while dominating the second-wicket partnership of 176 with Naved, who has so far laced his 190-ball knock with eight hits to the fence.

PIA reached 84-1 after dismissing Hyderabad Hawks for 173 in their first innings at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad. Off-spinner Tahir Khan snared three wickets.

Fast bowler Tabish Khan (4-29 in 15 overs) and spinner Mohammad Irfan (4-19 in seven overs) sent Faisalabad Wolves packing for a dismal 118 all out after Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) inserted the home side into bat the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

By stumps SSGC had advanced to 142-4 in their reply.

Quetta Bears marked their first appearance in the current first-class season on a disappointing note when they subsided for 168 all out after being put into bat by Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at the latter’s home territory in Rawalpindi.

Opener Shahzad Tareen, however, waged s one-man battle with a defiant 87 (195 balls, nine fours and one six) for the visitors while pacemen Sadaf Hussain and Yasir Ali both returned identical analysis of 18-6-36-3 each.

KRL were 9-0 in the 4.1 overs of their response.

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

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: KARACHI ZEBRAS 257-8 in 90 overs (Owais Ahmed Rehmani 85 not out, Ahmed Iqbal 41; Usman Ashraf 3-56, Mohammad Abbas 2-47) vs PAKISTAN TELEVISION.

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: HYDERABAD HAWKS 173 in 58.3 overs (Zeeshan Gul 50; Tahir Khan 3-30, Kamran Sajid 2-12, Ali Imran 2-35); PIA 84-1 in 24 overs (Shahzar Mohammad 28 not out, Fahad Iqbal 27 not out).

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: QUETTA BEARS 168 in 77.2 overs (Shahzad Tareen 87; Sadaf Hussain 3-36, Yasir Ali 3-36); KRL 9-0 in 4.1 overs.

Group-II:

At Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur: STATE BANK 309-2 in 90 overs (Mukhtar Ahmed 144, Naved Yasin 109 not out, Rizwan Haider 41 not out) vs BAHAWALPUR STAGS.

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: FAISALABAD WOLVES 118 in 45 overs (Fahim Ashraf 34; Mohammad Irfan 4-19, Tabish Khan 4-29, Osama Basharat 2-19); SSGC 142-4 in 41 overs (Asif Zakir 62; Fahim Ashraf 2-31).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 185 in 55.4 overs (Umar Nawaz 49, Shakeel Ahmed 43; Umar Gul 5-41, Abdul Ameer 2-35, Abdur Rehman 2-40); HABIB BANK 96-2 in 22.3 overs (Imran Farhat 58 not out).

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2014