KARACHI: United Bank Limited (UBL) marked return of their appointed skipper Younis Khan in style on Monday as they amassed 365-4 on day one of their fifth-round Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship fixture against Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) in Islamabad.

After winning the toss at the Marghazar Cricket Ground, Younis decided against the usual practice adopted in the northern regions at this time of the year by most skippers by choosing to bat.

Openers Shan Masood and Sharjeel Khan vindicated their captain’s call by providing an excellent platform for the Pool ‘A’ leaders as the two left-handers put on 149 in two hours before Sharjeel fell for a 78-ball 72 that included 14 boundaries.

Shan fell three runs short of his eighth first-class century when he was dismissed for 97. The Test opener’s 103-ball innings was spiced with 15 fours and three rare sixes. In previous 72 matches, Shan had hit just seven sixes.

Younis then joined Umair Khan (67 not out off 157 balls, eight fours) to put on 62 for the third wicket before Pakistan’s highest run-getter was trapped leg-before-wicket by slow left-armer Zafar Gohar for a 72-ball 42 (seven boundaries).

The in-form Saeed bin Nasir, who scored just one run in two innings against Hyderabad last week, slammed eight fours in scoring 53 from 82 balls until he was out to paceman Tabish Khan.

No less that 15 wickets tumbled at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad where Port Qasim Authority (PQA) bounced back after being bowled for 119 inside 43 overs against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), who had elected to field first after stand-in skipper Taufiq Umar won the toss.

By stumps, SNGPL were themselves struggling at 95-5 with Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali, their last hope of a decisive lead, at the crease on 32. Left-arm paceman Zohaib Shera grabbed four wickets for 32 runs.

Wapda captain Aamir Sajjad reached three figures for the second match running as his team recovered from 114-5 to collect 310 against Pool ‘B’ leaders National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

Aamir followed his 178 against Fata by contributing exactly 100 (155 balls, 12 fours and one six) as he and wicket-keeper Bismillah Khan (84 off 116 balls, 13 boundaries) shared a sixth-wicket stand of 157 after NBP’s stand-in skipper Fawad Alam opted to bowl first upon winning the toss.

Imran Farhat played a captain’s innings of 95 (173 balls, 13 fours) as Habib Bank Limited (HBL) collected 233-5 in 72 overs after they asked to bat first by Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) skipper Saeed Anwar Jr at Islamabad’s National Ground.

Paceman Mohammad Abbas continued his good form to claim four wickets for 66 runs.

Karachi Whites enjoyed a good opening day at the Pindi Cricket Stadium when skipper Faisal Iqbal inserted hosts Rawalpindi into bat. His decision paid handsomely as Rawalpindi were all out for 172 in 50.2 overs with wickets being shared by pace trio of Adeel Malik (4-54 in 21 overs), Ghulam Mudassar (3-61) and Babar Rehman (3-43).

The visitors replied with 58-1 when play ended for the day.

The brightest batting of the day was provided by Fata skipper Fawad Khan, who turned 29 last Friday. The right-hander from Bannu smashed 11 fours and as many as eight sixes in a blistering 108 from just 70 deliveries to help his side reach 314 in 65.2 overs after they put into bat by Lahore Whites at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Left-arm paceman Saif-ur-Rehman, playing only his fourth match, returned career-best figures of five for 76 but his heroics could prove in vain as Lahore Whites stuttered to 20-2 in reply.

Despite skipper Saad Nasim hitting up 67, Lahore Blues toiled through 79 overs to make 231-7 after opting to bat first against Peshawar at the LCCA Ground in Lahore.

Hyderabad, who also decided to bat first at the toss, reached 262-8 in 76 overs against Islamabad at the latter’s home territory of Diamond Club Ground.

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

Fifth round:

Pool ‘A’:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 119 in 42.3 overs (Shahzaib Hasan 30, Mohammad Talha 23; Ahmed Safi 2-21, Bilawal Bhatti 3-23, Azizullah 3-26); SUI NORTHERN GAS PIPELINES LIMITED 95-5 in 26.2 overs (Azhar Ali 32 not out; Zohaib Shera 4-32).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE BLUES 231-7 in 79

overs (Saad Nasim 67, Tayyab Tahir 41, Agha Salman 35 not out, Fahad-ul-Haq 26; Umair Khan 3-46, Zohaib Khan 2-41, Taj Wali 2-72) vs PESHAWAR.

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: HYDERABAD 262-8 in 76 overs (Shoaib Leghari 48, Haris Khan 45, Lal Kumar 35, Rizwan Ahmed 33, Hazrat Shah 21 not out; Zohaib Ahmed 2-40, Shehzad Azam Rana 2-44, Junaid Nadir 2-59, Hasan Ali 2-68) vs ISLAMABAD.

At Marghazar Cricket Ground, Islamabad: UNITED BANK LIMITED 365-4 in 81.3 overs (Shan Masood 97, Sharjeel Khan 72, Umair Khan 67, Saeed bin Nasir 53, Younis Khan 42; Tabish Khan 2-55) vs SUI SOUTHERN GAS COMPANY.

Pool ‘B’:

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: FEDERALLY ADMINISTERED TRIBAL AREAS 314 in 65.2 overs (Fawad Khan 108, Rehan Afridi 52, Mohammad Irfan 40, Nisar Ahmed 27, Haroon Sadaqat 22, Khushdil Shah 20; Saif-ur-Rehman 5-76, Asif Raza 2-82); LAHORE WHITES 20-2 in 4.4 overs.

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: WAPDA 310-8 in 81 overs (Aamir Sajjad 100, Bismillah Khan 84, Mohammad Saad 33, Zulfiqar Babar 24 not out; Ataullah 3-60, Akbar-ur-Rehman 2-5, Zia-ul-Haq 2-78) vs NATIONAL BANK OF PAKISTAN.

At National Ground, Islamabad: HABIB BANK LIMITED 233-5 in 72 overs (Imran Farhat 95, Aftab Khan 65 not out, Asad Shafiq 24; Mohammad Abbas 4-66) vs KHAN RESEARCH LABORATORIES.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: RAWALPINDI 172 in 50.2 overs (Aaqib Shah 54; Adeel Malik 4-54, Babar Rehman 3-43, Ghulam Mudassar 3-61); KARACHI WHITES 58-1 in 23 overs (Haris Ali Khan 21 not out).

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2015