KARACHI, Nov 14: After being dismissed for a modest first-innings total of 193, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) showed their prowess to leave United Bank Limited in tatters at 58-5 on the opening day of their seventh-round President’s Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship fixture in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

HBL’s top-order batting had no answer to an inspired burst from Rumman Raees Khan as the likes of Imran Farhat (19), Shan Masood (0), Ahmed Shehzad (2), skipper Younis Khan (23 off 58 balls) and Asad Shafiq (0) fell to the left-arm seamer after UBL captain and former Test paceman Shabbir Ahmed asked the position to bat first after winning the toss.

Shabbir chipped in with the wicket of Usman Salahuddin (14) as HBL stumbled to 65-6. But former Test wicket-keeper Humayun Farhat bludgeoned a carefree 79 from 81 deliveries to give his side respectability, while unleashing a dozen boundaries and a brace of sixes.

Umar Gul, at last making his first appearance in domestic cricket, struck a crucial 27 (39 balls, four fours and one six) as he added 59 with Humayun for the sixth wicket before both were removed by slow left-armer Kashif Bhatti who claimed three wickets despite being hammered for 51 runs in 7.3 overs.

Rumman finished with five for 70 in 17 overs, while Shabbir had two for 35 in 14 overs.

Basement outfit UBL’s response was just as pathetic as they found going extremely hazardous against the pace trio of Umar Gul (1-17), left-armer Abdul Ameer (2-13) and Ehsan Adil (2-4).

Leaders Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) were 160-4 against third-placed Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the big clash at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore where play was restricted to 63.4 overs.

Paceman Anwar Ali provided PIA two wickets in as many deliveries after Kamran Sajid opted to bowl first after winning the toss. After Test openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufiq Umar put on 29, Anwar had the latter caught behind by Sarfraz Ahmed for 13 before breaching Azhar Ali’s defence for a golden duck.

Anwar also got rid of Hafeez, trapping the Pakistan Twenty20 skipper leg-before-wicket for a 76-ball 37 (six fours). Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who is also the Pakistan Test skipper, made only 16 before falling leg-before-wicket to left-arm seamer Najaf Shah.

Ali Waqas was SNGPL’s mainstay with an unbeaten 68 (141 balls, 11 boundaries).

Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda)’s bowlers vindicated skipper Aamir Sajjad’s decision to bowl first at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad as National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) were sent packing inside 63 overs for a moderate 164 all out.

Slow left-armer Zulfiqar Babar bagged four for 86 in 26 overs to back the left-arm new-ball pairing of Junaid Khan (3-31 in 15.1 overs) and Sarfraz Ahmed (3-28 in 14 overs) as just Kamran Akmal managed to cross the 30-run mark. The Pakistan wicket-keeper made 37 off 63 balls with five fours.

Wapda completed a good day by finishing on 44 without loss in 20 overs.

Despite a fine opening partnership of 126 between skipper Kashif Siddique (53 off 85 balls, six boundaries) and wicket-keeper Gulraiz Sadaf (69 off 127 balls, 11 fours), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) mustered 261-8 after being sent into bat by Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) captain Imran Nazir at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad.

SBP had made decent progress when they reached 238-3 with Mohammad Saad and Rameez Raja, each making 43, adding 68 but Pakistan paceman Sohail Tanvir dismantled them with four quick wickets. The left-armer has so far claimed six for 51 in 19.5 overs.

Hosts Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) made steady progress against Port Qasim Authority (PQA) to reach 266-8 at draw of stumps after visiting skipper Khalid Latif decided to field first at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi.

Close of play scores on Wednesday (day one of four): At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: SUI NORTHERN GAS PIPELINES LIMITED 160-4 in 63.4 overs (Ali Waqas 68 not out, Mohammad Hafeez 37; Anwar Ali 3-51) v PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES.

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: NATIONAL BANK OF PAKISTAN 164 in 62.1 overs (Kamran Akmal 37; Zulfiqar Babar 4-86, Sarfraz Ahmed 3-28, Junaid Khan 3-31); WATER AND POWER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 44-0 in 20 overs.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: HABIB BANK LIMITED 193 in 44.3 overs (Humayun Farhat 79; Rumman Raees Khan 5-70, Kashif Bhatti 3-51, Shabbir Ahmed 2-35); UNITED BANK LIMITED 58-5 in 21 overs (Ehsan Adil 2-4, Abdul Ameer 2-13).

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: KHAN RESEARCH LABORATORIES 266-8 in 81.4 overs (Hamza Paracha 42, Nauman Ali 41, M. Tayyab Riaz 34, Zulfiqar Jan 32; Ahmed Jamal 3-46, Tanvir Ahmed 2-76) v PORT QASIM AUTHORITY.

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: STATE BANK OF PAKISTAN 261-8 in 76.5 overs (Gulraiz Sadaf 69, Kashif Siddique 53, Mohammad Saad 43, Rameez Raja 43; Sohail Tanvir 6-51) v ZARAI TARAQIATI BANK LIMITED.