KARACHI: Karachi Blues were closing on returning to the first-class arena next season after securing a commanding 212-run lead on the first innings against Multan on the penultimate day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II Cricket Tournament final in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

By stumps on day three at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Karachi Blues, riding on skipper Asad Shafiq’s half-century, consolidated their position by reaching 173-4 in their second innings to have an overall advantage of 385 heading into Sunday’s last day of the four-day clash.

Asad was still at the crease with 66 with fellow Pakistan batsman Fawad Alam (25) partnering in the unbroken stand of 45 after left-arm paceman Majid Ali had made early inroads with three wickets.

After Multan had been bowled out for 250 in the first part of the day, Majid inspired a defiant comeback for his side by cleaning up Pakistan opener Khurram Manzoor for a third-ball duck. Khurram had been one of the stars in the first innings with 78.

Mohtashim Ali completed a miserable match as the opener followed his first-innings duck by struggling for 27 balls to score just five before Majid trapped him in front of the stumps.

Mohammad Waqas, the star performer on Thursday’s first day with 127, became Majid’s third victim when he was caught by Abdul Rehman Muzammil for a 63-ball 32 (four fours).

Zia-ul-Haq, Multan other left-arm paceman, accounted for Akbar-ur-Rehman after the right-hander had scored an 80-ball 37 while putting on 66 for the fourth wicket Asad, who has so far hit six fours during his 97-ball innings.

Earlier, Muzammil was left stranded high and dry on an unbeaten 93 as Multan added 62 runs to their Friday’s tally of 188-5 before being all out for 250 in 71.5 overs with the last five wickets falling in the space of just 59 runs.

Muzammil, who was batting on 71 on the previous evening, lost his overnight partner Ali Hasnain (21) through a mixed in which the wicket-keeper was run out to terminate an 83-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Sohail Khan quickly got rid of Rizwan Haider (1) with Asad taking the catch.

Promising left-arm speedster Mir Hamza grabbed two of the last three wickets to fall to end up with decent figures of 3-57 in 22 overs. Zia was caught behind by wicket-keeper Saifullah Khan Bangash for 11 while Zulfiqar Babar fell to a catch by Mohammad Asghar after an eventful stay.

Zulfiqar used the long handle to good effect by striking five boundaries in a 14-bal cameo of 25 as the Pakistan spinner assisted Muzammil in a partnership of 38 runs.

Last man Majid Ali provided Saifullah his fourth catch of the innings when edged spinner Asghar without scoring.

Muzammil’s gallant 154-ball contribution was embedded with 10 fours and one six as the right-hander defied the Karachi Blues bowling for 223 minutes.

Scoreboard

KARACHI BLUES (1st Innings) 462-7 in 83 overs (Mohammad Waqas 127, Khurram Manzoor 78, Sohail Khan 82, Akbar-ur-Rehman 66, Saifullah Khan Bangash 68 not out; Majid Ali 3-79, Zia-ul-Haq 2-132).

MULTAN (1st Innings, overnight 188-5):

Zain Abbas b Zohaib 11

Imran Rafiq run out 57

Saeed Anwar Jr lbw b Mir Hamza 26

Shahzad Ali c Saifullah b Zohaib 0

Abdul Rehman Muzammil not out 93

Kashif Naved c Saifullah b Sohail 0

Ali Hasnain run out 21

Rizwan Haider c Asad b Sohail 1

Zia-ul-Haq c Saifullah b Mir Hamza 11

Zulfiqar Babar c Asghar b Mir Hamza 25

Majid Ali c Saifullah b Asghar 0

EXTRAS (B-1, W-2, NB-2) 5

TOTAL (all out, 71.5 overs) 250

FALL OF WKTS: 1-31, 2-72, 3-75, 4-108, 5-108, 6-191, 7-194, 8-211, 9-249.

BOWLING: Sohail Khan 21-3-84-2 (2nb, 1w); Zohaib Shera 14-2-72-1 (1w); Mir Hamza 22-6-57-3; Mohammad Asghar 11.4-4-27-1; Fawad Alam 3-0-9-0.

KARACHI BLUES (2nd Innings):

Khurram Manzoor b Majid 0

Mohtashim Ali lbw b Majid 5

Mohammad Waqas c Muzammil b Majid 32

Akbar-ur-Rehman b Zia 37

Asad Shafiq not out 66

Fawad Alam not out 25

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-2, W-1) 8

TOTAL (for four wkts, 51 overs) 173

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-25, 3-62, 4-128.

BOWLING (to-date): Majid Ali 20-5-64-3; Zia-ul-Haq 14-3-46-1 (1w); Rizwan Haider 14-1-48-0; Saeed Anwar Jr 2-0-5-0; Kashif Naved 1-0-3-0.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2016