KARACHI: Inspired by Sohail Khan’s rich haul of 12 wickets, Karachi Blues needed less than two days to annihilate Larkana and record their second consecutive victory by innings in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II Cricket Tournament in Multan on Monday.

Having whipped Quetta last week by innings and 16 runs, also under two days at the same venue, Karachi Blues were ruthless in drubbing the hapless Larkana by innings and 143 runs at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Sohail, the Pakistan fast bowler who is on a comeback trail, bagged five wickets for 27 runs in nine overs as Larkana were hustled out for 52 in less than 100 minutes in their second innings. Sohail was also unplayable on Sunday when he captured 7-32 in 12.1 overs during Larkana’s first innings of 80 all out. He ended up with match figures of 12-59 in 21.1 overs.

Upcoming left-arm quickie Zohaib Shera was equally destructive in grabbing analysis of 5-23 in 8.2 overs to finish with 8-41 in 16.2 overs as he and Sohail between them shared all 20 wickets to fall. Zohaib claimed 12 wickets for 71 runs in the win against Quetta last Thursday.

Ghulam Farooq with 18 was the only Larkana batsman to reach double figures in their sorry-looking second innings.

Earlier, Karachi Blues added another 61 runs to their overnight tally of 214-8. Opener Mohammad Waqas, who began the day on 109, was finally dismissed after a stay of exactly five hours for 146 with his 238-ball knock including 19 boundaries.

Mohammad Asghar, better known as a highly-talented slow left-armer, provided excellent support to Waqas as the pair shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 90 with Asghar making a 69-ball 17 in 100 minutes.

Skipper Rameez Raja led from the front as Quetta secured lead on the first innings against Bahawalpur in the other Group ‘A’ fixture at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur.

Replying to Bahawalpur’s 290, Quetta reached 213-6 with Rameez batting on 114. His 135-ball innings was spiced with six fours and three sixes.

Quetta, in fact, were in some bother at 97-4 when Rameez joined Abdul Hannan (70 off 119 balls, nine boundaries) in a defiant stand worth 68. All-rounder Arun Lal (30) further added 71 for the sixth wicket before Irfanullah (33) partnered Rameez in an unfinished partnership worth 76 so far.

Leg-spinner Imranullah Aslam took three wickets for 97 runs in 31 overs.

Bahawalpur, who began day two on 263-7, could add only 27 runs.

While the second day of the Abbottabad-Dera Murad Jamali at the National Ground in Islamabad was again washed out, the other Group ‘B’ match at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad saw hosts Faisalabad collect 72-3 after Azad Jammu Kashmir elected to bowl upon winning the toss.

Close of play scores and result on Monday (day two of three):

Group ‘A’:

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: Karachi Blues beat Larkana by an innings and 143 runs.

LARKANA 80 in 26.1 overs (Javed Bhutto 18; Sohail Khan 7-32, Zohaib Shera 3-19) and 52 in 17.2 overs (Ghulam Farooq 18; Zohaib Shera 5-23, Sohail Khan 5-27); KARACHI BLUES 275 in 74.4 overs (Mohammad Waqas 146, Saeed bin Nasir 23; Imtiaz Leghari 3-58, Ali Asghar 3-62, Mohammad Urs 2-61).

At Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur: BAHAWALPUR 290 in 77.1 overs (Abdul Basit 64, Moinuddin 61, Waleed Iqbal 52, Mohammad Wasim 31, Aaqib Javed 30, Imranullah Aslam 27; Gohar Faiz 3-51, Arun Lal 3-69, Shahzad Tareen 2-50); QUETTA 312-6 in 82 overs (Rameez Raja 114 not out, Abdul Hannan 70, Shoaib Khan 37, Irfanullah 33 not out, Arun Lal 30; Imranullah Aslam 3-97).

Group ‘B’:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: FAISALABAD 72-3 in 23 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 24, Usman Arshad 20; Shadab Majeed 2-29) vs AZAD JAMMU KASHMIR — no play on day one due to rain.

At National Ground, Islamabad: ABBOTTABAD vs DERA MURAD JAMALI — no play on first two days due to rain.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2016