KARACHI: National Bank were closing on victory after Karachi Dolphins set them a modest 134-run target on the penultimate day of the four-day Gold League fixture in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship at the National Stadium here on Saturday.

After Mir Hamza, the 22-year-old left-arm speedster, had grabbed a couple of more wickets in the morning to end up with 7-73 in 25.5 overs — his best-ever return in first-class cricket — as National Bank were all out for 271 with a lead of 64 runs, the Dolphins lost their latest opener, Daniyal Mansoor, on the second ball of the second innings.

Daniyal, son of former Pakistan batsman Mansoor Akhtar, was leg-before-wicket to left-arm paceman Zia-ul-Haq without scoring. Fazal Subhan then fell to Attaullah for the second time in three days as the fast bowler had him caught by Raza Hasan for two.

Wickets to continue to tumble with Zia dismissing Yasir Mushtaq and Mohammad Hasan, the Dolphins’ skipper in this match, and the lanky Ahmed Jamal getting rid of Babar Hussain Agha. An early finish seemed imminent with Dolphins in the doldrums at 86-6.

But the left-handed Hamza Ghanchi then held up National Bank’s quest for quick wickets for a while as he and Babar Rehman came together in a fight partnership of 44. Babar was bowled by Attaullah for 27 before Hamza’s gallant stay of 243 minutes was ended by spinner Raza who trapped him in front for a career-best 76 (142 balls, 10 boundaries).

Ataullah finished with three for 40 to complete a match haul of nine for 85 in35.2 overs while took 3-51 (match figures of six for 86).

National Bank lost Sami Aslam, who was dismissed for the second time in this game by Mir Hamza before reaching stumps at 19-1.

Former Pakistan Under-19 opener Ahsan Ali marked his third first-class appearance with a splendid double century as United Bank amassed 489-4 in response to Multan Tigers 403 at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The 20-year-old right-hander, whose best score was 50, struck 224 from 270 balls in 340 minutes with the help of 33 fours and one six.

Resuming at 92-0, United Bank lost Hamza Paracha (37) without adding to the overnight total. But Ahsan and Ali Asad, another ex-Under-19 national team batsman, put on 226 for the second innings before Ali was dismissed for 86 (132 balls, seven boundaries). Ammar Hasan was batting on 69 at draw of stumps.

Umar Akmal’s attempt to break his shackles of low scores in the championship ended in disappointment when the Pakistan batsman was bowled by seamer Rizwan Akbar for 21 as SNGPL were all out for 189 in reply to Rawalpindi Rams’ 158 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. In his past six innings, Umar had mustered just 104 runs.

But the Rams’ joy was short-lived as they were reduced to 85-7 in the second innings by the pace duo of Asad Ali (4-36) and Imran Ali (2-21).

Islamabad Leopards were also struggling to avoid defeat after they limped to 87-5 despite bowling out leaders Wapda for 176 to earn a lead of 33 runs at the Diamond Club Ground in the federal capital.

ZTBL claimed a massive 307-run lead by piling up 467 against Peshawar Panthers at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. The regional side went to stumps at 241-5 in their second innings while requiring 56 more to avoid being humiliated by innings.

Port Qasim Authority (PQA) were 27-1 in the rain-hit fixture against Lahore Lions who declared at 457-7 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore with Umar Siddique failing to add to his Thursday’s tally of 166 ((275 balls, 25 fours).

Close of play scores on Saturday (day three 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) and 197 in 56.2 overs (Hamza Ghanchi 73; Attaullah 3-40, Zia-ul-Haq 3-51, Raza Hasan 2-31, Ahmed Jamal 2-66); NATIONAL BANK 271 in 101.5 overs (Umar Waheed 76, Kamran Akmal 58, Fawad Alam 56, Akbar Rehman 33, Mir Hamza 7-73, Adeel Malik 2-59) and 19-1 in 9 overs (Mir Hamza 1-13).

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 489-4 in 114 overs (Ahsan Ali 224, Ali Asad 86, Ammar Hasan 69, Saeed bin Nasir 40, Hamza Paracha 37; Majid Ali 2-84).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: LAHORE LIONS 457-7 declared in 117 overs (Umar Siddique 166, Waqas Saleem 56, Mohammad Saeed 50 not out, Agha Salman 36, Saad Nasim 34; Sohail Khan 3-131, Abdur Rauf 2-80); PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 27-1 in 6 overs.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: RAWALPINDI RAMS 158 in 37.2 overs (Naved Malik 42; Imran Ali 4-29, Bilawal Bhatti 4-48) and 85-7 in 26 overs (Babar Naeem 37; Asad Ali 4-36, Imran Ali 2-21); SNGPL 189 in 61.2 overs (Bilawal Bhatti 37, Imran Ali 30; Rizwan Akbar 6-60, Atlas Khan 3-39).

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) and 87-5 in 26 overs (Waqas Maqsood 3-24); WAPDA 196 in 70.4 overs (Ayaz Tasawwar 49, Mohammad Saad 35; Shehzad Azam Rana 4-74, Hamza Nadeem 3-47).

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) and 241-5 in 57 overs (Musadiq Ahmed 65 not out, Gohar Ali 57 not out, Mehran Ibrahim 44, Israrullah 34; Rao Iftikhar 2-18, Zohaib Khan 2-60); ZTBL 467 in 136.2 overs (Rameez Alam 148, Shakeel Ansar 75, Zohaib Khan 57, Shahid Yousuf 46, Usman Khan Shinwari 36 not out; Afaq Ahmed 4-120, Azizullah 3-115).

Published in Dawn, November 9th , 2014