KARACHI: Group-II leaders Karachi Whites paid heavily for fielding an under-strength side when they slumped to 124-9 after Faisalabad had piled up 359 in their first innings of their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship match at the National Stadium here on Sunday.

Faisalabad, who had miraculously recovered from being 9-4 in the opening 45 minutes of the game on Saturday, added 110 to their overnight tally of 249-7 with Imran Ahmed carrying his score from 113 to 154 (462 minutes, 299 balls, 19 boundaries) until he was last man out when he was caught in the slips off left-arm paceman Mir Hamza.

Hamza finished with five for 96 in 27.1 overs but it was hard toil for his bowling mates with fielding letting them down badly as no less five possible catches were grassed.

Karachi Whites lost an early wicket but made good ground to reach 63-1 before the rot set in when seven wickets fell for the addition of just 46 runs. Opener Daniyal Mansoor, son of former Pakistan batsman Mansoor Akhtar, shone briefly as he struck six boundaries in making 34 from 53 deliveries before becoming one of five wickets for the 19-year-old seamer Fahim Ashraf.

Ikramullah Khan provided excellent support to Fahim (career-best 5-32 in 15 overs) by grabbing three for 56.

Karachi Whites, already assured of a Super Eight spot, still require 86 runs to avoid the follow on with their last pair at the crease as they head into Monday’s day three.

Multan, boosted by half-centuries from Abdul Rehman Muzammil (60) and captain Kashif Naved (85 not out), overtook Islamabad’s first-inning total of 237 by reaching 260-4 at the NBP Sports Complex here. The fourth-wicket pair was involved in a partnership of 123.

Agha Salman slammed an unbeaten 104 (214 balls, 10 fours and one six) guided Lahore Shalimar to 233-4 in reply to Hyderabad’s first-innings score of 222 at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad. Salman Ali made 50 and added 105 for the fourth wicket with his unrelated namesake.

Lahore Ravi made a spirited reply to Abbottabad’s 398 as they went to stumps at 140-2 at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium in Abbottabad.

Peshawar were on verge of an innings victory after Bahawalpur stumbled to 70-6 in their second innings at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar.The hosts, earlier, built a first-innings difference of 223 by posting 312 after restarting at 157-4. Mohammad Idrees, overnight 83, was dismissed for 107 (139 balls, 18 boundaries).

Meanwhile, the game between Karachi Blues and Sialkot would start from Monday at the Southend Club Ground here. This fixture was originally slated to be played in Sialkot but shifted because of foggy weather.

Close of play scores on Sunday (day two of four):

Group-I:

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: BAHAWALPUR 89 in 30.4 overs (Abdul Rehman 28 not out; Azam Khan 5-59, Taj Wali 3-18, Afaq Ahmed 2-11) and 70-6 in 37 overs (Jibran Khan 3-200; PESHAWAR 312 in 73.5 overs (Mohammad Idrees 107, Jamaluddin 47, Jibran Khan 36; Zahir Siddiqui 2-36, Wasim Mustafa 3-87, Abdul Rehman 2-54).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: ABBOTTABAD 398 in 97.1 overs (Riaz Kail 117, Mohammad Ali 68, Mohammad Ali 53, Khalilullah 43; Bilawal Iqbal 4-113, Tanzeel Altaf 2-70, Mohammad Tanvir 2-100); LAHORE RAVI 140-2 in 42 overs (Abdul Wahab Dar 50 not out, Kamran Khalil 36 not out).

Group-II:

At National Stadium, Karachi: FAISALABAD 359 in 111.1 overs (Imran Ahmed 154, Fahim Ashraf 49, Asif Ali 41, Bilal Yousuf 30; Mir Hamza 5-96); KARACHI WHITES 124-9 in 45 overs (Daniyal Mansoor 34; Fahim Ashraf 5-32, Ikramullah Khan 3-56).

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: ISLAMABAD 237 in 86.1 overs (Imad Wasim 53, Sajid Ali 45, Mohammad Kashif 33, Junaid Nadir 33, Ali Sarfraz 31; Mohammad Rameez 5-78, Aamir Yamin 2-25, Kumail Abbas 2-26); MULTAN 260-4 in 88 overs (Kashif Naved 85 not out, Abdul Rehman Muzammil 60, Ahad Raza 42; Afaq Raheem 2-35, Imad Wasim 2-67).

At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: HYDERABAD 222 in 80.4 overs (Shabih Haider 88 not out, Nasir Awais 30; Mohammad Bilawal 4-50, Mohammad Irfan 2-39, Waad-ur-Rehman 2-35); LAHORE SHALIMAR 233-4 in 83 overs (Agha Salman 104 not out, Salman Ali 50; Furqan Azeem 2-33).—Sports Reporter