KARACHI: Seamer Waqar Anwar gave Karachi Whites an early ascendency when he grabbed 6-43 to send PTV crashing to 154 all out in their first innings on day one of the fourth-round tie of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship here on Tuesday.

PTV’s stand-in skipper Taimur Khan, leading his side after Saud Shakeel was called up for Pakistan ‘A’ duty for the four-day fixture against Australia in Dubai later this week, was left to rue his decision to bat first at the UBL Sports Complex as the departmental team lasted just 59.4 overs at the crease.

Opener Adnan Mahmood applied himself well by battling on for 242 minutes to score a patient 62 from 157 balls with the help of eight boundaries before being trapped LBW by Waqar, who also dismissed all-rounder Hasan Mohsin for a 74-ball 59 (10 fours and one six).

The only bright note for PTV was the sixth-wicket partnership between Adnan and Hasan, who together added 78 after the first wickets went down for just 60 runs.

Karachi Whites ended the day at 65-2 in reply with in-form opener Khurram Manzoor batting on 29.

ZTBL’s return to first-class arena has been something of a nightmare with two losses in three outings. In their latest fixture they faltered again to be dismissed for a modest 223 at the fag end of the day after electing to bat against Multan at the picturesque Multan Cricket Stadium.

Skipper Asif Afridi (56) and ex-Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Talha (46) put on a rapid unbroken stand of 102 in 66 minutes as Fata had HBL on the run at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium in Abbottabad where the regional side amassed 356-7 after Imran Farhat decided to bowl first at the toss.

Despite being flogged in the field, paceman Khurram Shahzad still managed to strike five times as he conceded 106 runs in 21 overs.

Bowlers had a field day at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad where 15 wickets went down while only 307 runs were scored. After being put into bat, Islamabad were blown away for 167 — with ex-international Hammad Azam taking 4-24 — before NBP limped to 140-5 in their reply.

It was a similar story at the Pindi Cricket Stadium where 17 wickets tumbled on a day when former Pakistan seamer Mohammad Asif claimed 5-43 on his return to first-class action after nine months.

Rawalpindi, who were asked to bat first by Wapda skipper Salman Butt, were bowled out for 110 in 32.4 overs with Ehsan Adil, another Pakistan reject, lending fine support to Asif with 4-26.

Wapda then also found the going quite hazardous as they slumped to 125-7 by close of play.

In a sluggish batting effort Lahore Whites plodded through 90 overs to make mere 167-6 after opting to bat against KRL at the LCCA Ground in Lahore.

Out-of-favour Pakistan paceman Bilawal Bhatti picked up 6-38 as holders SNGPL curtailed Peshawar to 176 all out at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

Skipper Mohammad Hafeez (46) and opener Imran Butt (44) consolidated their team’s grip further as SNGPL reached 100-1 at draw of stumps.

Seasoned campaigners Umar Amin and fellow left-hander Fawad Alam both notched up their second centuries in the championship as SSGCL posted 329-6 after Umar called correctly against Lahore Blues at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Umar scored 109 (156 balls, 12 fours) and Fawad was still going strong at 133 after sharing a fourth-wicket partnership of 147 with Umar before adding 129 with Asif Zakir (44) for the fifth wicket.

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

Fourth round:

Pool ‘A’:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: PESHAWAR 176 in 48.2 overs (Israrullah 42, Sajid Khan 34, Gohar Ali 28, Mohammad Idrees 24; Bilawal Bhatti 6-38, Asad Ali 2-26); SNGPL 100-1 in 34 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 46 not out, Imran Butt 44 not out).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: Lahore Whites 167-6 in 90 overs (Afaq Shahid 47 not out, Ali Zaryab 44, Imran Dogar 40; Yasir Ali 4-19) vs KRL.

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: ISLAMABAD 167 in 49.5 overs (Arsal Sheikh 34 not out, Ali Salman 27, Mohammad Hamza Nadeem 25, Zawan Hikmat 24; Hammad Azam 4-24, Mir Hamza 3-51, Atif Jabbar 2-42); NBP 140-5 in 31 overs (Rameez Raja 40,Ali Asad 27, Umar Siddique 22; Mohammad Hamza Nadeem 3-45).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: FATA 356-7 in 80 overs (Afaq Raheem 75, Asif Afridi 56 not out, Asad Afridi 52, Mohammad Talha 46 not out, Samiullah Jr 41, Khushdil Shah 35; Khurram Shahzad 5-106, Umar Gul 2-66) vs HBL.

Pool ‘B’:

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: PTV 154 in 59.4 overs (Adnan Mahmood 62, Hasan Mohsin 59; Waqar Anwar 6-43, Anwar Ali 2-15); KARACHI WHITES 65-2 in 23 overs (Khurram Manzoor 29 not out).

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: ZTBL 223 in 89.4 overs (Waqas Saleem 43, Anas Mustafa 40, Shahrukh Ali 36 not out; Mohammad Ali Khan 3-46, Ali Usman 3-48, Sajjad Hussain 3-69) vs MULTAN.

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: SSGCL 329-6 in 85.3 overs (Fawad Alam 133 not out, Umar Amin 109, Asif Zakir 44) vs Lahore Blues.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: Rawalpindi 110 in 32.3 overs (Sarmad Hameed 19; Mohammad Asif 5-43, Ehsan Adil 4-26); Wapda 125-7 in 44 overs (Ayaz Tasawwar 50 not out; Saad Altaf 3-34).

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2018