KARACHI: Habib Bank Limited (HBL) put themselves in complete command against State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in their Silver League final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship after lower-order batsmen helped the bankers earn a substantial 194-run lead on Thursday.

Replying to the inadequate SBP’s total of 162, HBL extended their overnight tally of 88-3 to an impressive 356 all out on the second day of the five-day fixture.

The shell-shocked SBP then suffered the mortification of losing Aamir Yamin to Abdur Rehman in what turned out to be the final ball of a day which was overwhelmingly dominated by HBL.

Aamir, the top-scorer in the first innings with 54, was caught behind by Humayun Farhat for just six, the only runs SBP managed at the start of their second innings.

HBL lost Rehman, who had come in as the night-watchman late on Wednesday’s opening day, in the fifth over of the morning when the left-hander edged a catch to Naved Yasin in the slips to give left-arm seamer Rizwan Haider his second wicket of the innings.

Slow left-armer Kashif Bhatti then produced a fine delivery that spun back sharply to end Aftab Khan’s long vigil at the crease. The right-hander’s 156-ball knock in a stay of 211 minutes included seven boundaries.

At that stage, SBP were very much in the game as HBL had lost half their side for 128 runs. But subsequent partnerships for the remaining five wickets yielded a staggering 228 runs.

Hasan Raza and Humayun not only enabled HBL surpass SBP’s meagre total but also laid the foundation for a big lead. The sixth-wicket pair added 96 in 75 minutes with Humayun attacking the bowling in his customary manner.

The wicket-keeper bludgeoned six fours and one pulled six in his 61 from 51 balls until he was trapped in front of the stumps by Kashif.

Hasan fell five short of the half-century when he was adjudged stumped by TV umpire Javed Ashraf as he lunged forward but missed the line. Replays indicated that the 32-year-old was probably unlucky as Maqbool Ahmed whipped off the bails to allow Kashif celebrate the third of his five wickets.

Hasan’s 45 off 89 balls included four hits to the fence and his departure meant that HBL had lost two wickets in the space of one run.

Fahad Masood then arrived to partner Kamran Hussain in another stand, worth 53 in 76 minutes, before he was gone for a handy 28 (63 balls, five boundaries). Aslam Qureshi scored just nine but still managed to help Kamran put on 30 for the ninth wicket before Kashif bagged his 11th five-for in first-class cricket.

There was further misery in store for the SBP as Kamran found last man Sarmad Anwar a more than capable partner. Together they forged a partnership of 48 in just over an hour.

Kamran, 37, deservingly reached his 35th 50-plus score at the first-class level when his fine innings was ended by Zafar Gohar, the young left-arm spinner who toiled through almost 30 overs before finally taking his third wicket.

Kashif finished with five for 113 in 44 overs with Zafar capturing three for 125 in 44.2 overs and Rizwan two for 41 in 19 overs.

It seems unlikely that the match would last its entire duration, particularly on a pitch that was supposed to be true when the toss took place on Wednesday. In two days of play, the spinners have been on top with no less than 18 of the 21 wickets going their way.

Scoreboard

STATE BANK (1st Innings) 162 (Aamir Yamin 54, Zafar Gohar 31, Naved Yasin 21; Abdur Rehman 4-35, Aslam Qureshi 3-22, Aftab Khan 2-28).

HABIB BANK (1st Innings, overnight 88-3):

Imran Farhat c Zafar b Rizwan 10

Aftab Khan b Kashif 43

Rameez Aziz c Mohtashim b Zafar 28

Bilal Shafayat b Zafar 10

Abdur Rehman c Naved b Rizwan 12

Hasan Raza st Maqbool b Kashif 45

Humayun Farhat lbw b Kashif 61

Kamran Hussain lbw b Zafar 76

Fahad Masood b Kashif 27

Aslam Qureshi lbw b Kashif 9

Sarmad Anwar not out 12

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-10, W-3, NB-5) 22

TOTAL (all out, 128.2 overs) 356

FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-71, 3-81, 4-98, 5-128, 6-224, 7-225, 8-278, 9-308.

BOWLING: Rizwan Haider 19-5-41-2 (1nb); Aamir Yamin 3-1-8-0 (1nb); Zafar Gohar 44.2-9-125-3; Kashif Bhatti 44-12-113-5; Mohammad Naved 13-3-36-0 (1nb, 2w); Babar Azam 2-0-8-0; Mukhtar Ahmed 1-0-7-0; Mohtashim Ali 2-1-4-0.

STATE BANK (2nd Innings):

Babar Azam not out 0

Aamir Yamin c Humayun b Rehman 6

EXTRAS 0

TOTAL (for one wkt, 5.2 overs) 6

FALL OF WKT: 1-6.

BOWLING (to-date): Sarmad Anwar 1-1-0-0; Abdur Rehman 2.2-1-5-1; Aslam Qureshi 2-1-1-0.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2014