KARACHI: Multan and Karachi Blues, who have already qualified for the semi-finals, sealed easy victories as the preliminary-round matches in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II Cricket Tournament concluded on Wednesday.

Multan defeated Larkana by 109 runs at the Multan Cricket Stadium to top Group ‘A’ with 34 points, while Karachi Blues, who took the second spot, chalked up their third win when they outclassed Bahawalpur by seven wickets at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur.

The Group ‘B’ two fixtures saw Sialkot and Faisalabad taking three points apiece after drawing against Azad Jammu Kashmir and Abbottabad, respectively.

Karachi Blues faced unexpected resistance from Bahawalpur, who reached 225 in their second innings after starting the third and final day at Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur. Adeel Basit batted defiantly to finish with undefeated 70 with his 165-ball knock including seven fours and one six.

All-rounder Imranullah Aslam hit nine boundaries in scoring 49 from 53 deliveries.

Slow left-armer Mirza Ahsan Jamil grabbed six for 48 runs in 18.2 overs.

Needing 123, Karachi Blues accomplished the task in 21.5 overs. Khurram Manzoor followed up his first-innings century with a belligerent 54-ball effort of 81. The Pakistan opener laced his innings with 12 boundaries and three sixes.

Fast bowler Kumail Abbas claimed 5-70 as Multan bowled out Larkana for 227 in the latter’s second innings. Opener Bilal Irshad contributed 80.

Group ‘B’ table-toppers Sialkot opted for batting practice after dismissing Azad Jammu Kashmir for 157 to earn a commanding lead of 164 on the first innings at the National Ground in Islamabad.

In the remaining time, left-handers Naeemuddin and Mohammad Yasin both helped themselves to centuries as the pair added 276 for the unfinished second wicket as Sialkot reached 306-1.

Naeemuddin stroked 16 fours and four sixes to make 155 from 153 balls, while Yasin’s 126 off 133 balls featured 15 fours and one six.

Slow left-armer Khalid Usman took 6-74 in 38 overs as Faisalabad batted obdurately in their second innings to total 218 in 94.1 overs against Abbottabad at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

In the three-day semi-finals, starting on Saturday, Multan take on Faisalabad while Sialkot face Karachi Blues.

Scores and results on Wednesday (final day of three):

Fifth round:

Group ‘A’:

At Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur: Karachi Blues beat Bahawalpur by seven wickets.

BAHAWALPUR 264 in 70.4 overs (Mohammad Wasim 68, Adeel Basit 49, Zeeshan-ul-Haq 43, Moinuddin 40, Imranullah Aslam 40; Mohammad Asghar 4-101, Mirza Ahsan Jamil 2-29, Mir Hamza 2-47) and 225 in 76.2 overs (Adeel Basit 70 not out, Imranullah Aslam 49, Mohammad Wasim 27, Mudassar Nazir 26; Mirza Ahsan Jamil 6-48, Mir Hamza 2-38, Mohammad Asghar 2-80); KARACHI BLUES 367-8 in 83 overs (Khurram Manzoor

117, Asad Shafiq 71, Akbar-ur-Rehman 67, Mohtashim Ali 52l Imranullah Aslam 5-132, Mohammad Yamin 2-128) and 1213-3 in 21.5 overs (Khurram Manzoor 81, Mohtashim Ali 26).

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: Multan beat Larkana by 109 runs.

MULTAN 333-5 declared in 75 overs (Imran Rafiq 128, Sohaib Maqsood 102, Kashif Naved 52 not out; Imran Khan 2-41) and 196-3 declared in 32 overs (Abdul Rehman Muzammil 97 not out, Sohaib Maqsood 46, Zain Abbas 37); LARKANA 193in 62 overs (Habibullah 41, Ghulam Farooq 28, Zafar Ali 27; Ali Usman 3-35, Zulfiqar Babar 2-20) and 227 in 58.4 overs (Bilal Irshad 80, Mohammad Imran 41, Imtiaz Ali 27; Kumail Abbas 5-70, Ali Usman 3-62).

Group ‘B’:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Match drawn.

FAISALABAD 324-9 in 83 overs (Ali Rafiq 118, Imran Khalid 83, Usman Arshad 47, Fahim Ashraf 26 not out; Adnan Raees 3-23, Fazle Rabbi 2-46) and 218 in 94.1 overs (Usman Arshad 67, Ali Shan 50, Atif Manzoor 36; Khalid Usman 6-74, Fawad Malook 2-17); ABBOTTABAD 268 in 80 overs (Khalilullah 116, Fawad Malook 61; Imran Khalid 7-98, Asad Ali 3-47).

At National Ground, Islamabad: Match drawn.

SIALKOT 321 in 78 overs (Ali Khan 82, Atiq-ur-Rehman 81, Mohammad Asif 40, Bilal Asif 33, Naeemuddin 26; Usman Maroof 3-49, Shadab Majeed 3-55, Faisal Khaliq 2-58) and 306-1 in 50 overs (Naeemuddin 155 not out, Mohammad Yasin 126 not out); AZAD JAMMU KASHMIR 157 in 53.2 overs (Hasan Raza Jr 24; Mohammad Kamran 4-44, Mohammad Asif 2-23, Mohammad Abbas 2-48).

Final standings

(Tabulated under played, won, lost, drawn, abandoned, points):

Group ‘A’

Multan 4 4 0 0 0 34

Karachi Blues 4 3 1 0 0 28

Quetta 4 2 2 0 0 18

Bahawalpur 4 1 3 0 0 9

Larkana 4 0 4 0 0 0

Group ‘B’

Sialkot 4 1 0 1 1 17

Faisalabad 4 1 0 3 0 13

Abbottabad 4 0 0 3 1 5

Azad Jammu Kashmir 4 0 0 3 1 2

Dera Murad Jamali 4 0 2 1 1 2

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2016