LAHORE, April 12: Test reject Mohammad Sami gave the national selectors a timely nudge by picking up five for 31 as National Bank dominated the first day of the crucial Pentangular Cup match against Faisalabad at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Table leaders Faisalabad were bundled out for a measly 97 in their first innings with Sami being the wrecker-in-chief.

Fellow pacemen Wasim Khan and Yasir Arafat provided good support by taking three for 27 and two for 35, respectively.

Shahid Nazir was the top scorer for the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Gold League runners-up with 29.

The bankers were already in front by 95 runs as they reached stumps at 192 for seven after Nasir Jamshed (47) and Faisal Athar (44) added 70 for the opening wicket. Shahid Nazir (3-65) and Asad Ali (3-31) shared the spoils for Faisalabad.

Scoreboard

FAISALABAD (1st Innings):

Mohammad Hafeez c Shahid b Wasim 16

Imran Ali c Naeem b Sami 8

Asif Hussain c Imran b Sami 0

Mohammad Zahid c Naeem b Sami 2

Misbahul Haq c Shahid b Yasir 11

Ijaz Ahmed lbw b Sami 5

Mohammad Salman lbw b Yasir 8

Imran Khalid lbw b Sami 0

Shahid Nazir c Faisal b Wasim 29

Samiullah Niazi b Wasim 4

Asad Ali not out 5

EXTRAS (LB-4 NB-5) 9

TOTAL (all out, 33.3 overs) 97

FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-29, 3-30, 4-34, 5-48, 6-50, 7-51, 8-74, 9-91.

BOWLING: Mohammad Sami 14-4-31-5 (4nb); Wasim Khan 10.3-4-27-3; Yasir Arafat 9-1-35-2 (nb1).

NATIONAL BANK (1st Innings):

Faisal Athar lbw b Sami 44

Nasir Jamshed c Salman b Asad 47

Naumanullah c Misbah b Shahid 24

Shahid Yousuf c Hafeez b Shahid 1

Akhtar Sarfraz c Salman b Shahid 9

Qaiser Abbas not out 18

Imran Javed c Hafeez b Asad 12

Yasir Arafat b Asad 10

Mohammad Sami not out 2

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-6, NB-12, W-5) 25

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 54 overs) 192

FALL OF WKTS: 1-70, 2-117, 3-124, 4-136, 5-142, 6-165, 7-185

BOWLING (to-date): Shahid Nazir 16-4-65-3 (8nb); Samiullah Niazi 19-2-48-1 (5w); Asad Ali 16-1-57-3 (4nb); Imran Khalid 3-0-14-0.