KARACHI: Riding on a brilliant century from Abdul Rehman Muzammil, hosts Multan further strengthened their grip over Karachi Blues by dominating second day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II Cricket Tournament final at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Multan first built a commanding 152-run on the first innings by extending their overnight total of 71-2 to 306 all out and then reduced the visitors to 81-4 by close of play at the halfway stage of the match.

Karachi Blues, who were bowled out for a measly 154 in the first innings, still need 71 to make Multan bat again as they head into Thursday’s penultimate day of the four-day title-decider, will be heavily banking on their largely inexperienced middle-order to rescue them out of a hopeless situation after the top-order was quickly blown away.

Aamir Yamin dismissed opener Rameez Raja for the second day running as the Karachi Blues skipper failed again when was adjudged leg-before-wicket for seven. The former Pakistan international scored only one in his team’s sorry-looking tally of 152 on Tuesday.

Ammad Alam fell to the giant frame of Mohammad Irfan for the second time as well, trapped LBW for 11 before Aamir bowled left-handed Ramiz Aziz for three.

Saud Shakeel, who was dismissed for a six-ball duck in the first innings, batted for 82 minutes to make 20 from 49 deliveries until the left-hander was given out leg-before to slow left-armer Zulfiqar Babar, who starred with five for 50 in the first innings.

Fahaddis Bukhari, who has occupied the crease for 86 minutes thus far for his 78-ball knock of 26, and young all-rounder Hasan Mohsin (13) saw out the day as they put on 22 for the ongoing fifth-wicket partnership.

Earlier, Waqar Hussain, who hit up 89 off 171 balls in 211 minutes with 11 boundaries, and Muzammil expanded their overnight partnership of 37 to 133.

Muzammil, who began the day on 15, departed after having slammed nine fours and three sixes in a 193-ball innings of 113 that lasted 282 minutes. The 28-year-old right-hander was caught of slow left-armer Moham­mad Asghar, who finished with analysis of four for 115 in 32 overs.

Off-spinner Ashiq Ali proved quite expensive despite picking up four wickets as well since his 18.1 overs cost 96 runs. Young paceman Mohammad Umar took the remaining two wickets (2-44 in 15 overs) but Mir Hamza went wicketless in his 15 overs.

The winners of this event would earn direct entry to first-class Quaid-i-Azam Trophy next season.

Scoreboard

KARACHI BLUES (1st Innings) 154 (Ashiq Ali 47, Mohammad Asghar 33, Fahaddis Bukhari 23; Zulfiqar Babar 5-50, Aamir Yamin 3-33).

MULTAN (1st Innings, overnight 71-2):

Zain Abbas c Hasan b Umar 16
Waqar Hussain c Saud b Umar 89
Imran Rafiq c Saud b Asghar 0
A. Rehman Muzammil c Umar b Asghar 113
Saeed Anwar Jr c Ammad b Ashiq 23
Aamir Yamin c Hasan b Asghar 10
Zulfiqar Babar c and b Ashiq 0
Maqbool Ahmed lbw b Asghar 14
Zia-ul-Haq st Saifullah b Ashiq 8
Ali Hasnain not out 2
Mohammad Irfan c Saud b Ashiq 20

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-2, NB-5) 11

TOTAL (all out, 82.1 overs) 306

FALL OF WKTS: 1-29, 2-3, 3-167, 4-217, 5-243, 6-250, 7-274, 8-283, 9-283.

BOWLING:: Mir Hamza 15-4-40-0; Mohammad Umar 15-6-44-2 (3nb); Mohammad Asghar 32-3-115-4; Hasan Mohsin 2-1-5-0; Ashiq Ali 18.1-0-96-4 (2nb).

KARACHI BLUES (2nd Innings):

Rameez Raja lbw b Aamir 7
Ammad Alam lbw b Irfan 11
Saud Shakeel lbw b Zulfiqar 20
Ramiz Aziz b Aamir 3
Fahaddis Bukhari not out 26
Hasan Mohsin not out 13

EXTRAS (NB-1) 1

TOTAL (for four wkts, 33 overs) 81

FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-19, 3-22, 4-59.

BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Irfan 5-0-24-1; Aamir Yamin 9-3-16-2 (1nb); Zulfiqar Babar 11-6-17-1; Saeed Anwar Jr 3-0-6-0.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2018