KARACHI, Feb 12: Hyderabad squandered another golden opportunity to pile up a big first innings score when they lost their last six wickets for just 19 runs on the first day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-I match against Karachi Blues here at KCCA Stadium Tuesday.

After being well-placed at 290 for four shortly after tea, the visiting team simply lost their way to be dismissed for 309 seven minutes before the scheduled stumps.

Opener Akram Khan compiled a patient 106 — his maiden first-class century — while skipper Rizwan Ahmed narrowly missed a second hundred in successive games by just two runs.

Taking advantage of sloppy fielding, both Akram and Rizwan survived close shaves to share a fifth wicket partnership of 158 in exactly two hours on either side of lunch and tea.

Akram finally perished to a catch at the wicket after batting for 275 minutes. His 270-ball innings was laced with seven fours.

Rizwan soon followed when he lost concentration and was bowled by Karachi Blues skipper Mohammad Javed for 98. The Hyderabad captain was at the crease for only 123 minutes and faced 105 deliveries, of which 10 were dispatched to the boundary.

Javed, who bowls right-arm medium-pacers, finished with four for 42 in 14 overs. All of his wickets came during a 21-ball spell after tea while conceding a mere three runs.

Karachi Blues, for reasons best known to the KCCA hierarchy, are fielding six debutants in this game without realizing that the youngsters need proper grooming before they play on the first-class circuit.

In other words, the KCCA has devalued the whole exercise of making players earn their caps through sheer hard work. This was certainly not the case in the past.