ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: Opener Salman Butt led the rescue mission for Punjab with a splendid 155 that eventually helped his team reach 306 in their first innings against Federal Areas on the opening day of the Pentangular Cup match at the Diamond Club Ground on Friday.

The Pakistan left-hander’s marathon innings, spanning 353 minutes and including 20 fours, was instrumental in ensuring Punjab reach a respectable total after Federal Areas won the toss and elected to field first.

After losing the early wickets of Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal, Salman and Khurram Shahzad revived Punjab’s hopes with a stand of 104. Khurram made 41 off 65 balls while hitting six fours.

Skipper Shoaib Malik made only 19 before he was leg-before-wicket to Sohail Tanvir. He was followed by Kamran Akmal for 13 before Salman found a reliable partner in Mansoor Amjad.

The sixth-wicket pair put on 61 before Shoaib Akhtar dismissed Mansoor for 37. But Salman thereafter found no support until he was run out by Umair Khan.

Shoaib, Sohail and Raheel Majeed shared two wickets each.

Federal Areas, in reply, had reached five without loss when play was called off because of poor light.

Scoreboard

PUNJAB (1st Innings):

Salman Butt run out 155

Mohammad Hafeez c Bazid b Shoaib 11

Umar Akmal b Rao Iftikhar 2

Khurram Shahzad c Sohail b Yasir 41

Shoaib Malik lbw b Sohail Tanvir 19

Kamran Akmal c Jamal b Umar 13

Mansoor Amjad c Jamal b Shoaib 37

Wahab Riaz c Jamal b Raheel 0

Saeed Ajmal c Bazid b Raheel 1

Mohammad Talha lbw b Sohail 4

Imran Ali not out 2

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-13, NB-6) 21

TOTAL (all out, 82.4 overs) 306

FALL OF WKTS: 1-23, 2-38, 3-142, 4-196, 5-223, 6-284, 7-286, 8-288, 9-304.

BOWLING: Shoaib Akhtar 12-2-55-2; Sohail Tanvir 20.4-1-71-2 (3nb); Rao Iftikhar 22-2-64-1; Yasir Arafat 14-2-44-1 (3nb); Umar Amin 5-0-20-1; Raheel Majeed 9-1-37-2.

FEDERAL AREAS (1st Innings):

Raheel Majeed no out 3

Umair Khan not out 1

EXTRAS (NB-1) 1

TOTAL (for no wkt, 0.4 over) 5

TO BAT: Umar Amin, Bazid Khan, Usman Saeed, Naveed Qureshi, Yasir Arafat, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar, Jamal Anwar, Shoaib Akhtar.

BOWLING (to-date): Imran Ali 0.4-0-5-1 (1nb).

UMPIRES: Salim Badar and Iqbal Butt.

MATCH REFEREE: Khalid Niazi.