LAHORE, Feb 19: Half-centuries from Agha Sabir, Mohtashim Ali and Hasan Raza enabled Karachi Urban to reach 249-6 in their first innings against defending champions Sialkot despite fine bowling from Sarfraz Ahmed on the first day of the five-day Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Gold League final at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan on Monday.

Put in to bat first by Sialkot skipper Ejaz Ahmed, Karachi Urban lost opener Asif Zakir (0) to medium-pacer Kashif Raza. But the other opener Agha Sabir and Mohtashim Ali scored half-centuries, adding 133 runs for the second wicket to steady the innings.

Sabir scored 136-ball 70, with the aid of six boundaries and two sixes, while Mohtashim made 147-ball 59, studded with six fours. However, both fell to Sarfraz. Then Urban's skipper Hasan Raza hit an unbeaten half-century and with Saeed Bin Nasir (39, six fours) added 74 runs for the fifth wicket. Hasan is batting on 56 with eight boundaries and one six while having faced 145 balls. The other not out batsman with him is Tahir Khan, yet to open his account.

Scoreboard

KARACHI URBAN (1st innings):

Agha Sabir c Khalid b Sarfraz 70

Asif Zakir c Shahid b Kashif 0

Mohtashim Ali lbw b Sarfraz 59

Hasan Raza not out 56

Faisal Iqbal c Khalid b Sarfraz 0

Saeed Bin Nasir c Khalid b Sarfraz 39

Imran Javed c Ijaz b Tahir 1

Tahir Khan not out 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-9, NB-14) 24

TOTAL (for six wkts, 85.3 overs) 249

FALL OF WKTS: 1-3, 2-136, 3-153, 4-160, 5-234, 6-243

BOWLING: Kashif Raza 18-5-41-1 (4nb); Tahir Mughal 16-5-44-1; Tariq Mahmood 13-1-46-0; Sarfraz Ahmed 19.3-7-45-4 (2nb); Ali Imran 19-3-63-0 (4nb).

UMPIRES: Nadeem Ghauri and Zamir Haider.

MATCH REFEREE: Taslim Arif.