KARACHI, Feb 8: Saeed Anwar Jr struck a superb century to put Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in driving seat against Karachi Whites on the second day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship Group ‘A’ match at the NBP Sports Complex here on Sunday.

The left-handed opener stroked 125 to propel KRL to 282-5 after Karachi Whites were dismissed for 268 in their first innings. Saeed’s 167-ball knock contained 17 fours and one six.

Earlier, Yasir Arafat claimed one of the two remaining wickets to fall in Karachi Whites’ innings to finish with excellent figures of six for 53.

Group ‘A’ leaders National Bank were made to fight for wickets on the first day of their fixture against Wapda at the Mirpur Cricket Stadium in Azad Jammu Kashmir.

After being put into bat by NBP skipper Fawad Alam, Wapda recovered well from 49-4 to post a respectable 280 in their first innings with Bilal Khilji (86) and Aamir Sajjad (68) adding 166 for the fifth wicket.

Rawalpindi amassed 481 against hosts Hyderabad after Zahid Mansoor (146, 16 fours) and Usman Saeed (144, 17 fours and two sixes) carried their overnight fourth-wicket partnership to 279. Hyderabad were 70-1 in reply.

Islamabad were heading for victory after posting a first-innings total of 605-9 declared. Starting their second innings with a massive 511-run deficit, Quetta were reduced to 87-6. Zeeshan Mushtaq converted his overnight score of 112 to 230 as the hosts added 304 to Saturday’s tally of 301-3.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Habib Bank made a fitting reply after Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) posted a healthy total of 410 in their first innings in a crucial Group ‘A’ match at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The bankers reached 100 for one after slow left-armer Abdul Rehman claimed 4-83 as SNGPL added 129 to their overnight tally of 281-5.

PIA, boosted by centuries from Yasir Hameed and Shoaib Khan struck centuries, put themselves in commanding position against Lahore Shalimar at the LCCA Ground.

Yasir hit 100 (116 balls, 13 fours) and Shoaib 102 (150 balls, nine fours) as PIA finished the day at 440-9 in reply to Lahore’s Shalimar’s 148.

The ZTBL-SSGC clash at the Lahore Country Club Ground in Muridke was evenly poised after SSGC gained a narrow nine-run lead on the first innings. ZTBL closed at 154-6 in the second innings with lanky Pakistan paceman taking five for 52.

A fine century by Naeemuddin (112 off 227 balls, 13 fours) guided Group ‘B’ leaders Sialkot to 313-5 in reply to Abbottabad’s 243 at the Sheikhupura Stadium.

Scores on Sunday (day two of four):

Group ‘A’:

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: KARACHI WHITES 268 in 85.4 overs (Khalid Latif 87, Tanvir Ahmed 58; Yasir Arafat 6-53); KRL 282-5 in 78 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr 125).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: SNGPL 410 in 127.3 overs (Azhar Shafiq 105, Yasir Shah 71, Umar Akmal 63, Misbah-ul-Haq 58; Abdul Rehman 4-83); HABIB BANK 100-1 in 36 overs.

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE SHALIMAR 148 in 59.3 overs (Najaf Shah 6-39, Fazle Akbar 4-46); PIA 440-9 in 104 overs (Shoaib Khan 102, Yasir Hameed 100, Fahad Iqbal 67, Faisal Iqbal 52; Mohammad Naved 4-164).

At Lahore Country Club, Muridke: ZTBL 150 in 47.2 overs (Rajesh Ramesh 5-37) and 154-6 in 50 overs (Sohail Khan 5-52); SSGC 159 in 65.3 overs (Saeed bin Nasir 52).

At Mirpur Cricket Stadium, Azad Jammu Kashmir (day one): WAPDA 280 in 76.1 overs (Bilal Khilji 86, Aamir Sajjad 68); NATIONAL BANK 4-0 in 1 over.

Group ‘B’:

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: RAWALPINDI 481 in 135.5 overs (Zahid Mansoor 146, Usman Saeed 144, Yasim Murtaza 75); HYDERABAD 70-1 in 30 overs.

At Sheikhupura Stadium: ABBOTTABAD 243 in 76.2 overs (Rashid Mansoor 68); SIALKOT 313-5 in 87 overs (Naeemuddin 112, Ayub Dogar 73).

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: FAISALABAD 388 in 145.3 overs (Mohammad Salman 93, Usman Arshad 81, Zeeshan Asif 80, Imran Ali 55); KARACHI BLUES 108-2 in 18 overs (Shahzaib Hasan 58 not out).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: QUETTA 94 in 32.4 overs (Rauf Akbar 6-64, Saad Altaf 4-30) and 87-6 in 29 overs (Saad Altaf 4-24); ISLAMABAD 605-9 declared in 101.4 overs (Zeeshan Mushtaq 230, Ashar Zaidi 97, Raheel Majeed 87, Rauf Akbar 76).

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: LAHORE RAVI 362 in 95.2 overs (Ashraf Ali 77, Sohail Ahmed 73, Kashif Siddique 66, Ali Haider 53; Waqar Ahmed 6-120); PESHAWAR 226-4 in 68 overs (Mohammad Idrees 91, Jamaluddin 83 not out).