KARACHI: Discarded Pakistan opener Khurram Manzoor missed out on a double century for the second time this season when he was out for 197 as Karachi Whites posted 365-5 on day one of their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship fixture against Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

After being put into bat by Rawalpindi skipper Umar Waheed in the fifth-round Pool ‘B’ game at the UBL Sports Complex, the hosts scored their runs a healthy rate and could have piled on more agony for the bowling team had they not lost four wickets in the space of 31 runs after being 304-1 at one stage.

The 32-year-old Khurram, who made 199 against ZTBL at the National Stadium just over two weeks ago, was in punishing mood as he adorned his 218-ball knock with 32 boundaries and three sixes during his 26th first-class ton in a stay of 320 minutes.

Shahzar Mohammad, son of former Pakistan stalwart Shoaib and grandson of the country’s batting legend Hanif, fell for 95 (140 balls, 11 boundaries) while sharing a second-wicket partnership of 249 with Khurram.

A career-best 185 (225 balls, 20 fours) from left-handed Ali Sarfraz, who was run out at the start of the last over of the day, guided Islamabad to 342-2 versus Fata at the Diamond Club Ground. He was involved in a second-wicket stand of 308 with the 19-year-old opener Rizwan Ali, who reached a maiden century — an unbeaten 109 (278 balls, 11 fours) — in just his third first-class appearance.

Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq made a comeback for the third time in the championship to bolster the depleted champions SNGPL but his stay lasted only five balls as the 44-year-old right-hander was trapped LBW by Hammad Azam for two as SNGPL struggled to 265 all out after put in by returning NBP skipper Shan Masood at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

Adnan Akmal was the top-scorer with 52, while the left-hander Hussain Talat contributed 48 and his Pakistan team-mate Asif Ali 46.

HBL were 50-1 after KRL recovered from 103-5to 235 all out at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi on the back of Mohammad Mohsin’s maiden hundred — 103 from 126 balls with 10 fours and three sixes.

Handy contributions from Sahibzada Farhan (75), Ashfaq Ahmed (89) and Musadiq Ahmed (62) inspired Peshawar to 295 against Lahore Whites, who were 11-0 in reply at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Wapda’s Mohammad Asif bagged his second five-for in two matches as the ex-Pakistan seam-bowing ace claimed 5-56 to send ZTBL reeling to 216 all out at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

It was a sort of some recovery for ZTBL who were in strife at 75-6 before Raza Ali Dar (45 not out) was joined by Saadullah Ghauri (88) in a partnership of 105.

Wapda, in turn, were in trouble at 27-2 with captain Salman Butt perishing without scoring, cleaned up by paceman Mohammad Ali, after facing 17 deliveries in 27 minutes.

Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) collected 334-7 against Pakistan Television (PTV) at the Marghazar Cricket Ground in Islamabad with Adil Amin (84), Asif Zakir (78) and Maqbool Ahmed (52 not out) being the main run-getters.

Paceman Azharullah, who has returned to domestic cricket after several years following a long stint in England, grabbed 5-71.

Rizwan Hussain struck 97 (156 balls, 14 fours and two sixes) helped Lahore Blues post 243-7 against Multan at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Close of play scores on Wednesday (day one of four):

Fifth round:

Pool ‘A’:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: SNGPL 265 in 85.4 overs (Adnan Akmal 65, Hussain Talat 48, Asif Ali 46, Khurram Shehzad 34, Ali Waqas 31; Atif Jabbar 3-53, Ghulam Mudassar 3-76, Hammad Azam 2-12, Kamran Ghulam 2-35); NBP 3-0 in 1 over.

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Peshawar 295 in 77.2 overs (Ashfaq Ahmed 89, Sahibzada Farhan 75, Musadiq Ahmed 62; Waqas Ahmed 4077, Mohammad Irfan 3-68, Bilal Anwar 2-62); Lahore Whites 11-0 in 2.5 overs.

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: KRL 235 in 67.5 overs (Mohammad Mohsin 103 not out, Gulraiz Sadaf 32, Usman Arshad 26, Abdul Rehman Muzammil 24; Ramiz Aziz 2-13, Abbas Afridi 2-33, Abdur Rehman 2-39, Junaid Khan 2-61, Umar Gul 2-70); HBL 50-1 in 12 overs (Sajjad Ali 20 not out).

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: Islamabad 342-2 in 89.1 overs (Ali Sarfraz 185, Rizwan Ali 109 not out) vs Fata.

Pool ‘B’:

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: Karachi Whites 365-5 in 86 overs (Khurram Manzoor 197, Shahzar Mohammad 95, Mohammad Hasan 29 not out, Omair Bin Yousuf 28; Syed Tauseeq Shah 3-90, Mohammad Nawaz 2-86) vs Rawalpindi.

At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: Lahore Blues 243-7 in 90 overs (Rizwan Hussain 97, Irfan Haider 52, Saad Nasim 27, Fahad-ul-Haq 25; Mohammad Ali Khan 2-52, Ali Usman 2-56) vs Multan.

At Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: ZTBL 216 in 64 overs (Saadullah Ghauri 88, Raza Ali Dar 45, Aoun Abbas 20; Mohammad Asif 5-56, Sadaif Mehdi 2-29); Wapda 27-2 in 9 overs.

At Marghazar Cricket Ground, Islamabad: SSGCL 334-7 in 89 overs (Adil Amin 84, Asif Zakir 78, Maqbool Ahmed 52 not out, Fawad Alam 34, Sami Aslam 29; Azharullah 5-71, Tabish Khan 2-77) vs PTV.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2018