KARACHI: Port Qasim Authority (PQA), inspired by spinner Azam Hussain’s rich haul of 10 wickets, gave themselves an outside chance of scoring their maiden first-class victory in the President’s Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship match against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in Sialkot on Tuesday.

At stumps on the penultimate day of the four-day fourth-round fixture at the Jinnah Stadium, PQA, who have lost two of their first three matches, had reached 64-2 in pursuit of a not-too-difficult target of 248.

Their hopes for the remaining 185 now rest with the left-handed duo of opener Usman Tariq (28) and Test discard Umar Amin (12) after left-arm seamer Samiullah Khan Niazi took care of acting skipper Khurram Manzoor (7) and Kamran Younis (15).

Earlier, slow left-armer Azam starred with figures of six for 50 in 19.1 overs as SNGPL were dismissed for 225 in their second innings. He finished with a match bag of 10-91 in 29.3 overs. Opener Taufiq Umar and SNGPL captain Misbah-ul-Haq were the only batsmen to make significant contributions.

The left-handed Taufiq scored 82 off 178 balls with 10 boundaries and put on 82 for the fourth wicket with Misbah who showed signs of getting back into some form. The 38-year-old Pakistan Test skipper struck eight fours in making 49 from 75 deliveries before being stumped by ex-Test wicket-keeper Mohammad Salman off Azam who also claimed Taufiq’s prized scalp.

National Bank conceded a slender 18-run lead against PIA before a 113-run unbroken partnership between Bilal Munir (63) and Umair Khan (53) lifted them to 146-2 in their second innings at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

PIA, who resumed at 256-7, added a further 85 runs with Shoaib Khan finishing on an undefeated 121 — the 34-year-old right-hander’s 13th first-class hundred — off 203 balls with 11 boundaries and one six. The overnight stand between Shoaib and Tahir Kha (37) yielded 125 for the eighth wicket before Najaf Shah (31) joined Shoaib in another crucial partnership of 53.

Leaders Habib Bank were on top on a curtailed day’s action at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad by dismissing State Bank for 198 to gain a substantial first-innings of 129. By stumps, Habib Bank were in front by 175 as they collected 46-2 with opener Shan Masood (18) and captain Younis Khan (17) holding the fort after mere 37 overs of play was possible because of inclement weather.

Ahmed Shehzad, better known for his aggressive batting, earlier returned remarkable figures of four wickets for seven runs in 2.5 overs as State Bank lost their remaining wickets for 30 runs after starting the day at 157-4. Young paceman Ehsan Adil took 4-39 in 18 overs.

United Bank found themselves battling for survival despite obtaining a 29-run lead on the first innings against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi.

The bankers were heaps of difficulties at 103-7 to have an overall lead of only 132 with just three second-innings wickets standing.

KRL, who were 173-6 at Monday’s close of play, made 290 with left-handed Naved Yasin contributing 58 while adding an invaluable 71 for the eighth wicket with wicket-keeper Zulfiqar Jan (32). Paceman Mohammad Irshad, who had overnight figures of 4-44, ended up five for 94 and slow left-armer Kashif Bhatti continued his good form with four for 70 in 28 overs.

Wapda consolidated their position after gaining a slim 11-run lead to finish on 205-2 in their second innings against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZBTL) at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha.

Opener Kaleem Ahmed (65) and Aamir Sajjad (87) have so far put on 123 after Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal had first-innings century-maker Sohaib Maqsood stumped for four to leave Wapda at 82-2.

ZTBL lost their last three wickets for 22 runs after resuming at 261-7 with left-handed Haris Sohail left stranded on 115 (198 balls, nine fours and one six). All-rounder Nawaz Sardar, who bowls medium-pacers, claimed 4-38 and slow left-armer Zulfiqar Babar took 4-71.

Close of play scores on Tuesday (day three of four):

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: NATIONAL BANK 323 in 83 overs (Qaiser Abbas 106, Wahab Riaz 52, Nasir Jamshed 35; Aizaz Cheema 4-81, Tahir Khan 3-83, Anwar Ali 2-46) and 146-2 in 44.3 overs (Bilal Munir 63 not out, Umair Khan 53 not out); PIA 341 in 101.3 overs (Shoaib Khan 121 not out, Shahzar Mohammad 61, Tahir Khan 37, Najaf Shah 31; Qaiser Abbas 3-45, Wahab Riaz 3-102, Mohammad Imran Khan 2-78).

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: HABIB BANK 327 in 104.1 overs (Younis Khan 101, Rameez Aziz 91, Hasan Raza 41, Shan Masood 30; Kashif Siddique 4-39, Mohammad Ali 3-62, Saad Altaf 2-100) and 46-2 in 14.1 overs (Shan Masood 18 not out, Younis Khan 17 not out); STATE BANK 198 in 59 overs (Usman Saeed 50, Mohtashim Ali 43; Ahmed Shehzad 4-7, Ehsan Adil 4-39).

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: SNGPL 266 in 69.2 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 91, Ali Waqas 56; Azam Hussain 4-41, Abdur Rauf 2-49, Mohammad Sami 2-75) and 225 in 67.1 overs (Taufiq Umar 82, Misbah-ul-Haq 49; Azam Hussain 6-50, Abdur Rauf 2-38); PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 244 in 76.3 overs (Daniyal Ahsan 61, Khurram Manzoor 38; Imran Ali 4-52, Samiullah Khan Niazi 3-47, Bilawal Bhatti 2-60) and 64-2 in 16 overs (Usman Tariq 28 not out; Samiullah Khan Niazi 2-32).

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: WAPDA 294 in 84.4 overs (Sohaib Maqsood 110, Bilal Khilji 53, Aamir Sajjad 39; Abdul Razzaq 5-58, Mohammad Khalil 3-89) and 205-2 in 72 overs (Aamir Sajjad 87 not out, Kaleem Ahmed 65 not out, Mohammad Ibrahim 38); ZTBL 283 in 87.3 overs (Haris Sohail 115 not out, Babar Azam 52; Nawaz Sardar 4-38, Zulfiqar Babar 4-71).

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: UNITED BANK 319 in 111.5 overs (Abid Ali 130, Mohammad Sami 58; Mohammad Irfan 4-82, Yasir Ali 3-47, Rahat Ali 2-78) and 103-7 in 41 overs (Mohammad Sami 30; Yasir Ali 3-21, Saeed Anwar Jr 2-11; KRL 290 in 86 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr 86, Naved Ahmed Yasin 58, Zain Abbas 57, Zulfiqar Jan 32; Mohammad Irshad 5-94, Kashif Bhatti 4-70).