KARACHI: Karachi Whites remained on course for a much-awaited first victory in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship after dominating the second day of their Group ’B’ fixture against Habib Bank Limited (HBL) here on Monday.

After building a healthy first-innings lead of 126 in the fourth-round clash at the NBP Sports Complex by posting 263 in response to HBL’s 137, Karachi Whites claimed three wickets to leave the bankers worried at 93-3, still trailing by 33 runs.

Ahmed Iqbal, the former Pakistan Under-19 left-hander, was the day’s star performer with a gusty knock as he missed out on a maiden first-class century by a solitary run. The 28-year-old’s 99 off 211 balls included 13 boundaries before discarded Pakistan spinner Abdur Rehman trapped him leg-before-wicket.

Ahmed and Faisal Iqbal (37) shared a vital fourth-wicket partnership of 90, while Anwar Ali (16) helped Ahmed add 55 for the seventh wicket.

Rehman snared six wickets for 49 runs in 18 overs.

Group ‘B’ leaders United Bank Limited — who also had a tough first day on Sunday — came back strongly put Rawalpindi under pressure at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Resuming at 99-5, UBL eventually earned a sizeable 93-run advantage by reaching 229 in response to the hosts’ first-innings total of 136.

Left-hander Saad Ali (93 off 99 balls, 15 fours and one six) and skipper Hammad Azam (52 not out) put together a partnership of 72 to revive their team.

Rawalpindi opener Shahzad Ahmed bagged a ‘pair’ when he fell to Sohail Khan for the second time in two days as the regional outfit slumped to 159-6 at draw of stumps.

Lahore Whites were 157-2 after restricting Khan Research Laborat­ories (KRL) to 322 in their first innings at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Saud Shakeel recorded a fifth first-class century as his unbeaten 108 (210 balls, 12 fours and one six) lifted Pakistan Television (PTV) to 283-6 in response to Fata’s 281 at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.

Hasan Mohsin also made an invaluable 83 as he and Saud put on 114 for the fourth wicket.

Pakistan reject Umar Amin celebrated his 28th birthday in a befitting manner by registering a 16th first-class hundred as the elegant left-hander struck 145 to help Group ‘A’ leaders Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) obtain a decisive lead of 170 against Faisalabad.

Replying to the hosts’ 153, SSGC extended their overnight score from 97-4 to 353, thanks largely to Umar’s 170-ball knock, featuring 19 fours and one six, and his fifth-wicket stand of 121 with Usama Mir (51).

Faisalabad lost four wickets as they scored 89 runs in their second innings.

Centuries from Kamran Ghulam, Bilal Asif and Faizan Khan inspired the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to an imposing 553-8 declared against Islamabad at the Diamond Club Ground in the federal capital.

Starting day two at 276-4, NBP batsmen continued their domination of the Islamabad bowlers. Kamran and Bilal both completed their second centuries with each making 102. Kamran, who hit 14 fours and one six during his 153-ball knock, added 121 for the fifth wicket with Naved Sarwar (44).

Bilal and wicket-keeper/batsman Faizan then engaged themselves in a 172-run stand for the seventh wicket when Bilal’s 126-ball innings (12 fours and three sixes) came to an end.

Faizan, who had scored just one half-century in 15 previous appearances, went to his maiden first-class century off only 105 balls (13 boundaries) before Rameez Raja closed the innings.

Islamabad replied with 90-3 at close of play.

Peshawar were on top against Wapda at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium where they curtailed the reigning champions to just 154 while securing a useful lead of 81 runs. Left-arm paceman Taj Wali claimed 6-53 in 19.2 overs.

The regional side then increased that lead to 223 by closing at 142-4 in the second innings.

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) rode on Mohammad Rizwan’s 145-ball effort of 84 to seize a 91-run lead over Lahore Blues at the LCCA Ground in Lahore.

The hosts, who mustered a measly 108 on Sunday, then went to stumps at 199-8 in their second innings with Test leg-spinner Yasir Shah claiming 4-78 in 26 overs.

Close of play scores on Monday (day two of four):
Fourth round:
Group ‘A’:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: FAISALABAD 153 in 57 overs (Ibtisam Sheikh 45, Asif Ali 32, Ahmed Safi 26; Kashif Bhatti 6-52, Aamir Yamin 2-13, Usama Mir 2-42) and 89-4 in 36 overs (Abdul Samad 28; Kashif Bhatti 2-18); SSGC 323 in 92 overs (Umar Amin 145, Usama Mir 51; Ahmed Safi 4-71, Saeed Ajmal 3-106, Atif Jabbar 2-57).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: Lahore Blues 108 in 38.5 overs (Waqas Saleem 36, Salman Ali 27; Bilawal Bhatti 5-35, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-7, Yasir Shah 2-30) and 199-8 in 61 overs (Irfan Haider 33, Asadullah 28; Yasir Shah 4-78, Irfan Elahi 2-47); SNGPL 199 in 69 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 84, Misbah-ul-Haq 24; Asadullah 3-39, Saif0ur-Rehman 2-32, Bilawal Iqbal 2-37).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: NBP 553-8 declared in 146.1 overs (Kamran Ghulam 102, Bilal Asif 102, Faizan Khan 100, Haris Ali Khan 60, Rameez Raja 46, Naved Sarwar 44, Raza Hasan 28; Faizan Riaz 2-90, Hamza Nadeem 2-102, Munir-ur-Rehman Tanzil 2-138); ISLAMABAD 90-3 in 33 overs (Abid Ali 54 not out; Altaf Ahmed 2-17).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: PESHAWAR 235 in 56 overs (Gohar Ali 76, Ashfaq Ahmed 64, Sahibzada Farhan 48; Mohammad Ali Bhutta 4-69, Mohammad Asif 3-50, Zulfiqar Babar 2-55) and 142-4 in 46.2 overs (Ubaidullah 68, Israrullah 35; Mohammad Asif 2-30); WAPDA 154 in 57.2 overs (Kamran Akmal 55, Mansoor Amjad 40; Taj Wali 6-53, Nasir Awais 2-27, M. Imran Khan 2-44).

Group ‘B’:

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: HBL 137 in 40 overs (Ammad Butt 63; Mohammad Sami 4-40, Faraz Ali 2-13, Anwar Ali 2-21, Abdullah Mukaddam 2-54) and 93-3 in 46 overs (Mohammad Waqas 39 not out); KARACHI WHITES 263 in 80 overs (Ahmed Iqbal 99, Danish Aziz 37, Faisal Iqbal 37; Abdur Rehman 6-49, Ramiz Aziz 2-46, Umar Gul 2-61).

At Gaddafi Stadium Lahore: KRL 322 in 110.3 overs (Usman Arshad 77, Sardar Hasan Raza 63, Jaahid Ali 47, Nauman Ali 33; Umar Farooq 4-50, Waqas Ahmed 2-68, Mohammad Irfan 2-87); LAHORE WHITES 157-3 in 58 overs (Rizwan Hussain 50, Ameer Hamza 30, Usman Salahuddin 28 not out, Anas Mahmood 27; Sadaf Hussain 3-30).

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: FATA 281 in 86 overs (Asif Ali 102, Sohail Akhtar 41, Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti 40, Mukhtar Ahmed 39; Tabish Khan 3067, Hasan Mohsin 2-42, Rizwan Akbar 2-66); PTV 283-6 in 93 overs (Saud Shakeel 108 not out, Hasan Mohsin 83, Faisal Khan 27; Sohail Akhtar 3-56, Asif Afridi 2-84).

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: RAWALPINDI 136 in 41.1 overs (Rameez Alam 57; Mir Hamza 5-26, Sohail Khan 4-45) and 159-6 in 45 overs (Umar Waheed 46, Sarmad Hameed 37, Sohail Tanvir 25; Sohail Khan 2-38, Mir Hamza 2-39); UBL 229 in 63.2 overs (Saad Ali 93, Hammad Azam 52 not out, Mohammad Nawaz 29; Nazar Hussain 3-78, Sohail Tanvir 2-26, Ataullah 2-40, Abid Hasan 2-74).

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2017