KARACHI, Jan 3: Habib Bank were on course for victory in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship after forcing Pakistan Customs to follow on at the UBL Sports Complex here on Saturday.

All-rounder Kamran Hussain put the bankers in commanding position on the third day. Kamran made 86, having resumed on 51, to help his side reach 314 in the first innings. Later in the day, Kamran claimed three wickets as Customs were reeling at 61-5 after being dismissed for 87 in the first innings with Fahad Masood (3-12), Danish Kaneria (3-19) and Shahid Afridi (2-32) the main wicket-takers.

The match between National Bank and PIA was evenly poised after the latter obtained a slender two-run lead by reaching 215 in their first innings. PIA opener Khurram Manzoor carried his bat for 86, while the bankers’ 16-yer-old left-arm paceman Mohammad Aamir claimed a career-best 6-48 in only his third first-class match.

National Bank fought back in the second innings to close at 100-1 in the second innings with Nasir Jamshed, who scored 83 on Friday, batting on 54.

Saeed bin Nasir blasted 15 boundaries in an unbeaten 94 as SSGC reached 225-2 in reply to Karachi Whites’ first-innings tally of 278 at the at the Quaid-i-Azam Park in Steel Township.

There was no play on the second day of the match between KRL and Wapda at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi because of rain. Wapda had made 217-5 on Friday.

Sialkot gained slight advantage by making 238 in reply to Karachi Blues’ first-innings score of 226 despite pacer Babar Rehman’s 5-73 for the hosts who closed at 52-2 in their second innings.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Play was again curtailed in the matches being played in the Punjab because of inclement weather.

Lahore Shalimar, who were 95-2 against ZTBL, progressed to 215 without further loss at the LCCA Ground with Junaid Malik (84) and Suleman Khan (63) going strong in the unbroken stand of 130.

Faisalabad, meanwhile, put themselves on top after reaching 209 for one in response to Hyderabad’s 179 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Imran Ali was their hero with 103 (17 fours) while Zeeshan Asif is still at the crease with 80 after the first-wicket pair put on 190.

There was limited action on the first day of play in the two matches which started on Saturday. Quetta reached 144-4 versus Multan at the Multan Cricket Stadium, while at Islamabad’s Marghazar Ground, Islamabad were 47-2 against Peshawar.

Scores on Saturday (day one of four):

Pool ‘A’:

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: NATIONAL BANK 213 in 65.1 overs (Nasir Jamshed 83; Anwar Ali 4-81) and 100-1 (Nasir Jamshed 54 not out); PIA 215 in 64 overs (Khurram Manzoor 86 not out; Mohammad Aamir 6-48).

At Quaid-i-Azam Park, Karachi: KARACHI WHITES 278 in 94.5 overs (Asim Kamal 71, Javed Mansoor 51; Mohammad Kashif Rana 4-96); SSGC 225-2 in 74 overs (Saeed bin Nasir 94 not out, Wajid Ali 62 not out).

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: HABIB BANK 314 in 117.4 overs (Kamran Hussain 86, Younis Khan 71; Murtaza Hussain 4-83); PAKISTAN CUSTOMS 87 in 30 overs and 61-5 in 17 overs.

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: WAPDA 217-5 in 71.5 overs (Aamir Sajjad 78, Bilal Khilji 59 not out, Atiq-ur-Rehman 51) v KRL.

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE SHALIMAR 215-2 in 90.1 overs (Junaid Malik 84 not out, Suleman Khan 63 not out) v ZTBL.

Pool ‘B’:

At National Stadium, Karachi: KARACHI BLUES 226 in 67 overs Mohammad Hasan 62; Nayyar Abbas 4-41) and 52-2 in 13 overs; SIALKOT 238 in 81.5 overs (Haris Sohail 74 not out; Babar Rehman 5-73).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: HYDERABAD 179 in 50.2 overs (Zulqarnain 4-66); FAISALABAD 209-1 in 61 overs (Imran Ali 103, Zeeshan Asif 80 not out).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: RAWALPINDI 325 in 93 overs (Awais Zia 81, Rashid Latif 62, Jamal Anwar 52; Noor-ul-Amin 4-71) v ABBOTTABAD.

At Marghazar Ground, Islamabad (day one): ISLAMABAD 47-2 in 13 overs v PESHAWAR.

At Multan Cricket Stadium (day one): QUETTA 144-4 in 53 overs (Naseem Khan 54) v MULTAN.