KARACHI, Nov 2: Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq chose the best possible way to wriggle his way out of a lean trot in the President’s Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship with a sublime, undefeated innings of 99 at the start of the fifth-round fixture against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) in Rawalpindi on Friday.
Having accumulated just 102 runs in previous six innings of the championship, Misbah, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) skipper, guided his side to 214-7 in tough conditions for batting at the Pindi Cricket Stadium after ZTBL captain Abdul Razzaq had hesitation in fielding first upon winning the toss.
SNGPL, who went into the game without Pakistan Twenty20 skipper Mohammad Hafeez, lost three early wickets for 63 runs, including that of Pakistan Test opener Taufiq Umar (29) before the left-handed Ali Waqas (40) and Misbah added 51.
Misbah, who has thus far laced his 178-ball knock in a stay of 226 minutes with 14 boundaries, then found a reliable partner in Raza Ali Dar. The pair put on 74 for the fifth wicket before Raza (28) became one of three quick wickets for Razzaq who ended with 4-54 in 19 overs.
Generally the bowlers held sway elsewhere as well. In the big clash at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot, PIA bowlers justified skipper Kamran Sajid’s decision to bowl first as leaders Habib Bank were all out for 200 inside 76 overs just before stumps.
Test seamer Aizaz Cheema led the way with excellent figures of four for 33 in 21 overs, which also fetched him the prized scalp of Habib Bank captain Younis Khan, who was trapped leg-before-wicket for 15. Anwar Ali also was on song with three for 57, including the wicket of the recently-married Asad Shafiq who made 25 off 59 balls in his first appearance in the tournament.
Opener Shan Masood was the top-scorer for Habib Bank with 42.
National Bank, still searching for their first win, had a good day at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore as Port Qasim Authority (PQA) had an answer against the fiery Mohammad Imran Khan and crumbled in 52.3 overs for only 150 in their first innings after their captain Khurram Manzoor opted to bat first. Imran, the 25-year-old paceman from Lower Dir, bagged six for 40.
National Bank reached stumps at 100-4 with Fawad Alam (9) and his predecessor Kamran Akmal (7) at the crease.
Wapda dominated action at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha by already taking first-innings lead against United Bank. The bankers, who were inserted in by Wapda captain Aamir Sajjad, were bundled out within 40 overs for just 121 with tailender Kashif Bhatti scoring 39 off 34 balls.
Wapda then further strengthened their grip by closing at 167-2 with opener Kaleem Ahmed (47) partnering Aamir (54) in an ongoing 71-run partnership after having added 89 with Sohaib Maqsood (51).
All-rounder Yasir Arafat struck an unbeaten 78 to lift Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) out of trouble against State Bank at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Having won the toss, KRL found themselves in real bother at 113-5 before Ali Khan (60) was joined by Yasir a defining stand of 121.
Left-arm paceman Ansar Javed took four of the wickets for 51 runs in 15 overs.
Close of play scores on Friday (day one of four):
At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: PORT QASIM AUTHORITY 150 in 52.3 overs (Asim Kamal 30; Mohammad Imran Khan 6-40, Umaid Asif 2-42); NATIONAL BANK 100-4 in 21 overs (Sami Aslam 32; Tanvir Ahmed 2-34).
At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: KRL 238-6 in 84 overs (Yasir Arafat 78 not out, Ali Khan 60, Saeed Anwar Jr 32; Ansar Javed 4-51) v STATE BANK.
At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: UNITED BANK 121 in 39.2 overs (Kashif Bhatti 39; Zulfiqar Babar 3-15, Azhar Attari 3-16, Junaid Khan 2-24); WAPDA 167-2 in 41 overs (Aamir Sajjad 54 not out, Sohaib Maqsood 52, Kaleem Ahmed 47 not out; Mohammad Irshad 2-50).
At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: HABIB BANK 200 in 76 overs (Shan Masood 42; Aizaz Cheema 4-33, Anwar Ali 3-57, Kamran Sajid 2-27) v PIA.
At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: SNGPL 214-7 in 78.4 overs (Misbah-ul-Haq 99 not out, Ali Waqas 40; Abdul Razzaq 4-54, Mohammad Khalil 2-74) v ZTBL.