KARACHI, Feb 10: Sindh seized early initiative in the opening match of the Pentangular Cup despite dogged by NWFP tailenders on an eventful first day of the four-day fixture at the National Stadium here on Sunday.

NWFP staged a late recovery to reach 203 in their first innings after the last two wickets added 98 runs to the total. Sindh responded by losing opener Khurram Manzoor cheaply before closing at 60 for one.

On a pitch offering appreciable seam movement, the NWFP batsmen struggled for survival from the moment Shahid Afridi, the Sindh captain, invited them to bat after winning the toss.

Sohail Khan, the gangling pace bowler, continued his remarkable first season in first-class cricket with four wickets, including Zulfiqar Jan and Samiullah Niazi off successive balls.

NWFP skipper Younis Khan was a big disappointment since he only made 12. The Pakistan star needlessly played across the line to a straight delivery from Anwar Ali Khan and was palpably trapped leg-before-wicket.

Sohail dismissed Pakistan opener Yasir Hameed (5) and Riaz Kail in a hostile opening burst. Riffatullah Mohmand struck four boundaries until he offered Afridi an easy catch at point off Uzair-ul-Haq, who was constantly erratic in direction.

The left-handed Adnan Raees offered some sort of resistance by making 30 while former Test right-hander Wajahatullah Wasti made 12. Both fell to Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

At 105 for eight, NWFP were in danger of being bowled out before tea. But Aslam Qureshi and Shakeel-ur-Rehman had other ideas as the Sindh bowlers relaxed. The ninth-wicket partnership flourished to give the visitors’ innings respectability.

Aslam (29 off 90 balls, four fours) and Shakeel, who averaged just 6.37 with the bat in 26 previous first-class matches, put on 69 priceless runs with the latter hitting up a career-best 45, which turned out the day’s highest individual score.

The 94-minute stand was finally broken by Afridi who cleaned up Shakeel (94 balls, eight fours). Afridi was also responsible for ending Aslam’s two-hour resistance when he won a leg-before-wicket verdict.

Khurram then recklessly threw away his chance of a big score when he slashed left-arm medium-pacer Samiullah Niazi straight to Wajahatullah at first slip.

However, Naumanullah and a watchful Khalid Latif batted out the remainder of the day’s overs while surviving probing spells from Fazle Akbar, Samiullah and Shakeel. Naumanullah dominated the unbroken second-wicket partnership of 51 with Khalid (12) by striking six fours in his 33.

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