LAHORE, Feb 21: Devastating bowling by medium-pacers Rajesh Ramesh and Imran Javed on the third day of the five-day final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Gold League at the Multan Stadium on Wednesday brought the Karachi Urban close to a possible win against Sialkot.

The duo shared eight wickets between them in Sialkot’s first innings.

Rajesh finished with figures of five for 48 runs while Imran took three for 47 as Sialkot were forced to follow on after getting out for 183 in reply to Karachi’s total of 403.

Former Test cricketer Ejaz Ahmed was the only batsman who resisted Karachi bowlers’ advances with 68 runs off 103 deliveries with the help of 10 boundaries.

Sialkot, however, showed some improved performance in the second innings by snatching 175 runs for loss of three wickets at close of the day’s play. They are just 45 runs behind to avoid an innings defeat.

Opener Atiq-ur-Reman struck 70 off 131 deliveries with the help of 11 boundaries and Hafiz Khalid hit 58 off 60 deliveries with two sixes and three fours.

Scoreboard

KARACHI URBAN (1st innings) 403 (Hasan Raza 161 not out; Sarfraz Ahmed 6-93).

SIALKOT (1st innings, overnight 93-5)

Hafiz Majid b Rajesh 5

Atiq-ur-Rehman c Tahir b Imran 33

Shahid Yousuf lbw Rajesh 0

Tariq Mehmood c Amin b Imran 2

Ayub Dogger b Tanvir 16

Ejaz Ahmed c Tanvir b Tahir 68

Tahir Mughal c Hasan b Rajesh 10

Kashif Raza b Rajesh 0

Hafiz Khalid c Tahir b Imran 14

Sarfraz Ahmed c Imran b Rajesh 21

Ali Imran Pasha not out 0

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-3, W-1, NB-5) 14

TOTAL (all out, 60.3 overs) 183

FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-14, 3-46, 4-55, 5-71, 6-101, 7-101, 8-140, 9-167.

BOWLING: Tanvir Ahmed 16-4-53-1 (1w); Rajesh Ramesh 19.3-5-48-5; Imran Javed 14-3-47-3 (5nb); Tahir Khan 11-4-27-1.

SIALKOT (2nd innings, after follow-on):

Hafiz Majid c Faisal b Tanvir 4

Atiq-ur-Rehman lbw Imran 70

Shahid Yousaf not out 4

Hafiz Khalid c sub b Asif 58

Tariq Mehmood not out 20

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-8, W-5, NB-5) 19

TOTAL (for three wks, 60.3 overs) 175

FALL OF WKTS: 1-23, 2-102, 3-171.

BOWLING: Tanvir Ahmed 10.3-0-33-1 (2nb); Rajesh Ramesh 7-2-50-0 (5w); Imran Javed 23-8-40-1 (3nb); Tahir Khan 18-7-35-0; Asif Zakir 2-0-8-1.