KARACHI: Seamer Babar Rehman grabbed a five-for as the Whites had the better of the first day’s action against the Blues in the all-Karachi clash in the Super Eight tie of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship at the NBP Sports Complex here on Saturday.
Asif Zakir’s decision to field first at the toss in this Group ‘A’ fixture paid off well as Karachi Blues — who are defending their crown — lost four wickets for 84 runs before Babar Hussain Aga (66 off 91 balls, nine fours and one six) and wicket-keeper Javed Mansoor (77 off 163, nine boundaries) resurrected the innings by together putting on 77.
But once they were dismissed, the rest caved in meekly as Karachi Blues mustered 254 all out. Babar finished with five for 61 in 18.1 overs, slow left-armer Fahim Ahmed three for 73 and leg-spinner Shahzaib Ahmed Khan two for 71.
Karachi Whites ended the day at 16-0 in their reply.
In the other Group ‘A’ tie, being played at the National Cricket Ground in Islamabad, hosts Islamabad suffered immeasurably after skipper Imad Wasim asked Peshawar to bat first.
Opener Israrullah spanked 20 boundaries in making 148 — 23-year-old Monzai-born left-hander’s seventh century in 38 first-class matches — from 179 balls that helped Peshawar post an imposing 350 in their first innings.
Mohammad Idrees contributed a solid 84 (192 balls, 15 fours) while playing second fiddle to the dominant Israrullah in their third-wicket stand worth 166.
Imad, who took the wickets of Israrullah, Adil Amin (42) and Idrees, returned figures of five for 89 in 23.2 overs with slow left-armers while paceman Mudassar Ali took three for 70.
Peshawar completed Islamabad’s misery when Taj Wali captured two wickets with the new ball to leave the hosts struggling at 12-2.
Sialkot made fine recovery from 12-3 to reach 213-4 after Multan captain Kashif Naved decided that fielding would the best option at the Multan Cricket Stadium in the Group ‘B’ game.
But Naved Sarwar, batting with 82 (255 balls, seven fours) rescued the visitors in two productive partnerships. Skipper Mansoor Amjad (60 off 197 balls, eight fours) helped Naved add 108 before Naved and Bilal Hussain (51 off 74, five fours and one six) came together in an unbroken stand of 92.
Lahore Shalimar collected 225-5 after Rawalpindi captain Babar Naeem chose to ask the hosts to bat first at the LCCA Ground in Lahore. Umar Siddique (52 off 99 balls, nine boundaries) and Agha Salman (65 off 104, seven fours) were the chief run-getters.
A maiden century from upcoming all-rounder Tanzeel Altaf rescued Lahore Ravi from total disaster against Hyderabad in their second tier Six Bottom Teams’ Pool ‘A’ clash at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad.
After being sent into bat by Hyderabad skipper Mir Ali Talpur, the visitors were tottering at 68-7 before Tanzeel led a grand fightback by scoring an unbeaten 100 from 172 balls with 11 fours as Lahore Ravi made 204. Bilawal Iqbal hit an invaluable 38 while sharing a ninth-wicket partnership of 74 with Tanzeel.
Furqan Azeem, playing just his second first-class match, was the destroyer upfront with three quick wickets.
Hyderabad ended the day well placed at 105-2 after opener Darya Khan (48) and Shabih Haider (44 not out) added 90 for the second wicket.
A second-wicket stand of 264 between Mohammad Yasir and Faisal Mubashir, who both hit maiden centuries, guided Bahawalpur to 311-3 after captain Imranullah Aslam chose to bat first against Quetta in the Pool ‘B’ encounter at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur.
Yasir scored 146 (217 balls, 23 boundaries) and Faisal was batting with 130 (225 balls, 16 fours).
Close of play scores on Saturday (day one of four):
Super Eight:
Group ‘A’:
At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: KARACHI BLUES 254 in 76.1 overs (Javed Mansoor 77, Babar Hussain Aga 66, Zeeshan Jamil 45; Babar Rehman 5-61, Fahim Ahmed 3-73, Shahzaib Ahmed Khan 2-71); KARACHI WHITES 16-0 in 4 overs.
At National Cricket Ground, Islamabad: PESHAWAR 350 in 70.2 overs (Israrullah 148, Mohammad Idrees 84, Adil Amin 42; Imad Wasim 5-89, Mudassar Ali 3-70); ISLAMABAD 12-2 in 4 overs (Taj Wali 2-5).
Group ‘B’:
At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: SIALKOT 213-4 in 83 overs (Naved Sarwar 82 not out, Mansoor Amjad 60, Bilal Hussain 51 not out; Aamir Yamin 2-37).
At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE SHALIMAR 225-5 in 78.4 overs (Agha Salman 65, Umar Siddique 52, Salman Ali 30; Nasir Malik 2-53) v RAWALPINDI.
Six Bottom Teams:
Pool ‘A’:
At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: LAHORE RAVI 204 in 61.4 overs (Tanzeel Altaf 100 not out, Bilawal Iqbal 38; Furqan Azeem 3-31, Lal Kumar 2-33, Mir Ali Talpur 2-41, Aslam Sattar 2-63); HYDERABAD 105-2 in 23 overs (Darya Khan 48, Shabih Haider 44 not out).
Pool ‘B’:
At Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur: BAHAWALPUR 311-3 in 83 overs (Mohammad Yasir 146 not out, Faisal Mubashir 120; Gohar Faiz 2-74) v QUETTA.