KARACHI, Nov 22 Joint Division One leaders Wapda put themselves in early ascendancy after dismissing defending champions Karachi Blues for 128 at the National Stadium on the opening day of the latest round matches in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship on Monday.
Ex-Pakistan all-rounder and Wapda skipper Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who elected to bowl first after winning the toss, bagged 4-66 while fellow medium-pacer Nawaz Sardar claimed four wickets for just five runs as Karachi Blues lost wickets at regular intervals after the competition resumed following the Hajj and Eid-ul-Azha period.
Wapda then capped a fine day by finishing on 116-1 in reply with veteran opener Riffatullah Mohmand at the crease on 55.
Habib Bank, who like Wapda have 30 points from four games, struggled to contain Rawalpindi who reached a creditable 334-5 in their first innings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik followed his knock of 200 against Faisalabad in the previous round with 102 (117 balls, 16 fours and one six) to help PIA score 224-4 after Sialkot inserted them in at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot.
Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal boosted his chances of making the national squad for next month's tour of New Zealand by scoring an undefeated 137 as National Bank posted 276-4 against Faisalabad at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha.
Bowlers were top in the Islamabad-SNGPL clash at the Diamond Club Ground with no less than 18 wickets tumbling in the federal capital.
Pacemen Asad Ali (6-50) and Imran Ali (4-22) combined to bowl out Islamabad for 97 before the regional side hit back to have SNGPL struggling at 142-8 in reply.
Meanwhile, Karachi Whites, boosted by an unfinished partnership of 142 between Wajihuddin (89) and Abdul Jabbar (67), made 251-4 against Hyderabad in the Division Two fixture here at the UBL Sports Complex. Pakistan limited-overs opener Shahzaib Hasan hit a 92-ball 59.
In the local derby meeting at the LCCA Ground in Lahore, Lahore Ravi bounced back in style after being sent packing for only 107 in their first innings with opening bowlers Aamir Hayat (6-34) and Emmad Ali (4-60) sharing all the wickets.
But the Ravians then roared back into the match by reducing Lahore Shalimar to 96-7 by stumps on day one.
Scores on Monday (day one of four)
Division One
At National Stadium, Karachi KARACHI BLUES 128 in 50.5 overs (Naveed Khan 42; Nawaz Sardar 4-5, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 4-66); WAPDA 116-1 in 32 overs (Riffatullah Mohmand 55 not out).
At Sports Stadium, Sargodha NATIONAL BANK 276-6 in 80.2 overs (Kamran Akmal 137 not out, Rashid Riaz 77; Hasan Mahmood Sr 3-87) v FAISALABAD.
At Multan Cricket Stadium ZTBL 325 in 73.3 overs (Zohaib Khan 97, Abdul Razzaq 59, Imran Nazir 52; Mazhar Bashir 4-40, Abdur Rauf 4-81); MULTAN 19-2 in 4.5 overs (Mohammad Khalil 2-9).
At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot PIA 224-4 in 64.4 overs (Shoaib Malik 102, Kamran Sajid 72 not out) v SIALKOT.
At Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium RAWALPINDI 334-5 in 74 overs (Babar Naeem 80, Naved Malik 70, Muzammil Nizam 49 not out; Kamran Hussain 3-51) v HABIB BANK.
At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad ISLAMABAD 97 in 28.4 overs (Asad Ali 6-50, Imran Ali 4-22); SNGPL 142-8 in 36.1 overs (Yasir Arafat Jr 39; Fakhar Hussain 4-49).
Division Two
At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi; KARACHI WHITES 251-4 in 83 overs (Wajihuddin 89 not out, Abdul Jabbar 67 not out, Shahzaib Hasan 59) v HYDERABAD.
At LCCA Ground, Lahore LAHORE RAVI 107 in 31.1 overs (Haseeb Rasheed 30; Aamir Hayat 6-34, Emmad Ali 4-60); LAHORE SHALIMAR 96-7 in 31.3 overs (Hafiz Zohaib 31; Asif Raza 3-31, Abdul Ghaffar 3-35).
At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi; QUETTA 128 in 55.3 overs (Mohammad Naved 5-41, Adnan Rasool 3-23); STATE BANK 74-4 in 25 overs.
At National Cricket Ground, Islamabad PTV 254-4 in 71 overs (Imran Ali 102, Ammar Mahmood 96; Riaz Afridi 3-61) v PESHAWAR.
At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium ABBOTTABAD 125 in 45.5 overs (Waqar Orakzai 40; Mohammad Irfan 5-45, Jaffer Nazir 4-40); KRL 52-2 in 25.3 overs.