KARACHI: Karachi Dolphins kept National Bank under check despite conceding lead on the first innings in their fifth-round Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship Gold League fixture here on Friday.

Resuming at 2-1 in response to the Dolphins’ 207, National Bank reached 242-6 on a fluctuating second day of the four-day clash here at the National Stadium. Their total was based around half-centuries from Umar Waheed, Kamran Akmal and Fawad.

To their great credit the Dolphins kept themselves in the contest through Mir Hamza, the upcoming left-arm paceman who picked his second consecutive five-for in the space of six days. Despite a couple of close calls, one a certain leg-before-wicket verdict and a run-out opportunity, not going their way the regional team made their stronger rivals fight for runs.

Since the championship started almost four weeks ago, none of the current bunch of national selectors has turned up at the matches played here. And yet it was an irony on Friday that former national selector and ex-Test fast bowler Saleem Jaffer was spotted at the ongoing game; a ritual he did so conscientiously during his long tenure as a member of the PCB national selection committee.

The presence of Jaffer, who also coached the Dolphins in the past, inspired the 22-year-old Hamza to bag four of the six wickets to fall in the day. Nasir Jamshed, like his opening partner Sami Aslam the previous evening, was bowled comprehensively by the left-armer for three.

Hamza’s new-ball partner Adel Malik then struck Fawad a painful blow in the centre part of the lower groin to send the Pakistan left-hander off the field to recuperate with the total on eight.

While Fawad was away, Umar and Kamran put on 121 in 161 minutes for the third wicket before the National Bank captain edged Adeel to his Dolphins counterpart Mohammad Hasan for 58 (104 balls, nine boundaries).

Umar made 76 (175 balls, nine fours) when Hamza held a catch off his own bowling. Fawad and Akbar-ur-Rehman (33) added 59 when Fawad (56 off 136, six fours and one six) slashed Hamza into the covers and was taken by Mohammad Waqas.

Hamza, who captured 5-33 in Wapda’s second innings last Sunday, then bagged his eight five-for by having Akbar brilliantly caught at second slip by Waqas to end the day with fine figures of five for 56 in 19.2 overs.

Rain played havoc with two upcountry matches with the entire day’s play washed in Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Multan Tigers amassed their highest total this season when they extended their overnight tally of 246-6 to 403 all out against United Bank at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Mohammad Ali Niazi excelled for them with his maiden first-class century (104 off 227 balls, 13 fours and one six). Paceman Adil Raza took 5-103 in 31.1 overs.

United Bank, however, were off to a flying start by closing the day on 92-0 with Ahsan Ali (48) and Hamza Paracha (37) at the crease.

Play was curtailed to just 20.2 overs on Friday at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad where Wapda reached 37-1 after bowling out Islamabad Leopards for 229 in their first innings.

Close of play scores on Friday (day two of four):

At National Stadium, Karachi: KARACHI DOLPHINS 207 in 85.2 overs (Mohammad Waqas 105, Yasir Mushtaq 58, Attaullah 6-45, Zia-ul-Haq 3-35); NATIONAL BANK 242-6 in 89.3 overs (Umar Waheed 76, Kamran Akmal 58, Fawad Alam 56, Akbar Rehman 33, Mir Hamza 5-56).

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: MULTAN TIGERS 403 in 148.4 overs (Abdur Rehman Muzammil 111, Mohammad Ali Niazi 104, Ammar Ali 68, Mohammad Rameez 31; Adil Raza 5-103, Mohammad Ali Zahid 2-59); UNITED BANK 92-0 in 23.2 overs (Ahsan Ali 48 not out, Hamza Paracha 37 not out).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (no play on day two due to rain): LAHORE LIONS 300-4 in 90 overs (Umar Siddique 166 not out, Waqas Saleem 56, Saad Nasim 34; Sohail Khan 2-70) vs PORT QASIM AUTHORITY.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi (no play on day two due to rain): RAWALPINDI RAMS 158 in 37.2 overs (Naved Malik 42; Imran Ali 4-29, Bilawal Bhatti 4-48); SNGPL 26-2 in 11 overs.

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: ISLAMABAD LEOPARDS 229 in 82.4 overs (Zohaib Ahmed 59, Imad Wasim 45, Sarmad Bhatti 44, Ali Sarfraz 39; Waqas Maqsood 4-66, Mohammad Ali Bhutta 4-77); WAPDA 37-1 in 14.1 overs.

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: PESHAWAR PANTHERS 160 in 46.1 overs (Musadiq Ahmed 89, Mohammad Idrees 31; Usman Khan Shinwari 3-40, Sohail Tanvir 3-61, Shahid Yousuf 2-10, Rao Iftikhar 2-21); ZTBL 346-7 in 110 overs (Rameez Alam 138 not out, Zohaib Khan 57, Shahid Yousuf 46, Shakeel Ansar 35 not out; Afaq Ahmed 3-74, Azizullah 3-95).

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2014