ISLAMABAD, Dec 6: A trio of home players led by Shahid Zaman sprang big surprises on Monday at the start of the $65,000 Bank Alfalah Pakistan Open squash championship while four of their compatriots fell by the wayside.

The unseeded Shahid conquered No 9 seed Adrian Grant of England and had to go to five games winning 6-11, 11-10 (3- 1), 11-4, 4-11, 11-3 while Shamsul Islam Khan too had to go the distance in throwing 16th seed Malaysian Mohd Azlan Iskander out of the championship scoring a 11-6, 4-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4 victory.

Later in the evening, Mansoor Zaman stepped on to the court to hand 12th seed Dan Jenson an early ticket back to Australia, overpowering him in what was another five-game affair 11-6, 8-11, 11-10 (2-1), 4-11, 11-9 in just over an hour.

While the Zaman duo and Shams brought cheers to the home camp, the other Pakistanis on show on the opening day bowed out tamely. Amjad Khan, a winner of the Open in 1998, fell to Australia's Joseph Kneipp, the No 6 seed in only 18 minutes 4-11, 6-11, 4-11 and then wildcard Yasir Butt, erring endlessly, was brushed aside by Frenchman Renan Lavigne seeded 14.

There were two other casualties, little Farhan Mahboob becoming a victim of Englishman Mark Chaloner who scored a 11-9, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0) win and Khayal Mohammed being thrashed 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 by the tournament's top seed David Palmer of Australia.

In Tuesday's second round at the Mushaf Squash Complex, Mansoor will have to defeat Palmer to keep Pakistan's slender hopes alive in the championship. On Monday, Mansoor made mistakes and seemed to give away points at the crucial stages and will have to be more consistent against the top seed.

Shams showed good form and temperament in his match with Azlan and will now play No 2 seed Nick Matthew, who defeated Italy's Davide Bianchetti 11-8, 11-3 (retired). Bianchetti, misbehaved on court that led to referee Jamshed Gul penalising him with two conduct strokes. He then broke his racket and left the court at the start of the third game.

The stocky Shahid was involved in the longest match of the day with Adrian and managed to pip his rival in 69 minutes and now faces Kneipp in the second round. Apart from the Pakistanis, defending champion Jonathan Power of Canada was a 11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5 winner against Englishman Peter Barker as was Egyptian Karim Darwish, the No 4 seed who walloped Canadian Shahier Razik 11-4, 11-4, 11-8.

Finland's Olli Tuomnen upset Malaysian 13th seed Ong Beng Hee by the skin of his teeth scoring a 10-11 (1-3), 11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 11-7 win. The No. 3 seed, Amr Shabana of Egypt needed four games to defeat England's Joey Barrington 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9.

Australian Anthony Ricketts did not have to make much of an effort in downing England's Jonathan Kemp 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 while Frechman Gregory Gaultier, the No 7 seed beat Holland's Laurens Han Anjema.

James Will strop of England also advanced to the second round, scoring a 11-9, 9-11,, 11-5, 11-3 victory over Alex Gough of Wales and Mohammed Abbas outplayed country fellow Hisham Mohd Ashour 11-9, 11-5, 11-5.

RESULTS (FIRST ROUND): David Palmer (Aus) bt Khayal Mohammed (Pak) 11-2, 11-3, 11-2,Mansoor Zaman (Pak) bt Dan Jenson (Aus) 11-6, 8-11, 11-10 (2-1), 4-11, 11-9, Jonathan Power (Can) bt Peter Barker (Eng) 11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5, Mohammed Abbas (Egy) bt Hisham Mohd Ashour (Egy) 11-9, 11-5, 11-5, Karim Darwish (Egy) bt Shahier Razik (Can) 11-4, 11-4, 11-8, Anthony Ricketts (Aus) bt Jonathan Kemp (Eng) 11-2, 11-8, 11-4, Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (Ned) 11-9, 11-9, 11-4, Renan Lavigne (Fra) bt Yasir Butt (Pak) 11-8, 11-7, 11-8, Olli Tuomnen (Fin) bt Ong Beng Hee (Mas) 10-11 (1-3), 11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 11-7, James Willstrop (Eng) bt Alex Gough (Wal) 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3, Mark Chaloner (Eng) bt Farhan Mehboob (Pak) 11-9, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0), Amr Shabana (Egy) bt Joey Barrington (Eng) 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11- 9, Shahid Zaman (Pak) bt Adrian Grant (Eng) 6-11, 11-10 (3-1), 11-4, 4-11, 11-3, Joseph Kneipp (Aus) bt Amjad Khan (Pak) 11-4, 11-6, 11-4, Shamsul Islam Khan (Pak) bt Mohd Azlan Iskandar (Mas) 11-6, 4-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4, Nick Matthew (Eng) bt David Bianchetti (Ita) 11-8, 11-3 (retd).