Kamran Sajid (31, five fours) and Fareed Butt (31, two fours) provided Sui Gas a rapid run-a-minute 45-run start. But their departure triggered a mini batting collapse which was halted by the sixth wicket stand between Saleem Mughal (48) and Test reject Mohammad Hussain (38).
Saleem and Hussain added precious 66 runs in 72 minutes to lift the score to 187, before the latter was caught by Usman Tariq off Test off-spinner Arshad Khan. The left-handed Hussain cracked five fours while facing 59 balls.
Saleem then found another useful partner in Raza Khan, who helped add invaluable 44 for the seventh wicket in 70 minutes. Saleem, however, departed to a brilliant catch by wicket-keeper Humayun Farhat off left-arm spinner Mohammad Zahid. His 48 included eight well-timed boundaries in 148 minutes off 119 balls.
Paceman Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan bowled outstandingly to capture three for 55. Zahid also took three wickets but conceded 76 runs while Arshad Khan bowled 38 overs, including 14 maidens, but claimed just a solitary wicket for 59 runs.
SUI GAS (1st Innings):
Kamran Sajid c Nawaz b Zahid 31
Fareed Butt c Ijaz Jr b Naveed 31
Ali Raza c Arshad b Zahid 16
Ali Hussain c Wajahat b Naveed 23
Sohail Idrees lbw b Naveed 10
Saleem Mughal c Humayun b Zahid 48
Mohammad Husain c Usman b Arshad 38
Raza Khan not out 17
Abdur Rauf not out 0
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-13, NB-4) 18
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 94 overs) 232
FALL OF WKTS: 1-45, 2-77, 3-98, 4-120, 5-121, 6-187, 7-231.
TO BAT: Kashif Shafi, Azhar Abbas.
BOWLING (to-date): Aqib Javed 11-4-17-0; Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan 17-5-55-3 (2nb); Arshad Khan 38-14-59-1; Mohammad Zahid Sr 25-2-76-3 (2nb); Usman Tariq 3-0-11-0.
ALLIED BANK: Usman Tariq, Mohammad Nawaz, Wajahatullah Wasti, Ijaz Ahmed Jr, Aaley Haider, Aamir Hanif, Humayun Farhat, Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, Arshad Khan, Aqib Javed, Mohammad Zahid Sr.
UMPIRES: Saleem Badar and Nadeem Ghauri.
MATCH REFEREE: Asif Ali.