LAHORE, Feb 12: A career-best 290 by Salman Butt while a century from Nasir Jamshed and three quick wickets brought Punjab in sight of a win against Federal Areas on the penultimate day of the Pentangular Cup tie here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.

Salman, who resumed the innings from 135 with Nasir Jamshed (6), featured in a massive second-wicket stand of 290 that helped Punjab declare at 599-7 in reply to FA’s first innings score 383 and seized a 216-run lead.

FA’s crisis was further compounded when they lost three wickets in the second innings for just 37 runs in the last hour’s play. They still need 179 runs to wipe off the deficit.

FA also lost the first innings century-maker Raheel Majeed (11), Afaq Rahim (7) and Babar Naeem (0) as the medium-pacer Aizaz Cheema captured two for 11 and Test left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman finished the day with one for six.

Salman, who passed his previous best first-class score of 206, also crossed 4,000 runs at this level. He reached the 200-run mark with 40 boundaries and one six.

In all, he cracked 50 boundaries and one six while facing 318 balls during a marathon stay of 424 minutes at the crease. He was eventually caught by Babar Naeem off medium-pacer Shahzad Azam in the covers.

At the other end, Nasir, who resumed at six, also crossed 1,000 runs this season when he reached 18.

The total was 499-3 when Nasir went for 108, off the bowling of Shahzad, caught by substitute Atif Maqbool at short mid-off after batting for 263 minute. He struck 14 fours and one six.

After Nasir’s departure, Mohammad Yousuf hit an enterprising 56 that had four boundaries.

For FA, their main bowlers Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir and Yasir Arafat, failed to make an impact on the Punjab batsmen. Little-known pacer Shahzad Azam was the pick of the bowlers with three for 133. Shoaib, who sent down seven overs in two spells on Monday, could bowl 11 more in three spells on Tuesday, conceding 72 runs without any wicket. Sohail Tanvir gave away 107 runs for one wicket while Yasir Arafat failed to take any, while costing 76 runs in 18 overs.

Scoreboard

FA (1st Innings) 383 (Raheel Majeed 107, Usman Saeed 69; Wahab Riaz 4-112, Abdul Rehman 4-56).

Punjab (1st Innings, overnight 219-1):

Salman Butt c Babar b Shahzad 290

Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Sohail 77

Nasir Jamshed c sub b Shahzad 108

Mohammad Yousuf c Naveed b Babar 56

Misbah-ul-Haq b Shahzad 9

Kamran Akmal c Usman b Babar 23

Mansoor Amjad not out 16

Wahab Riaz c sub b Afaq 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-7, NB-11, W-1) 20

TOTAL (seven decl, 118.2 overs) 599

FALL OF WKTS: 1-191, 2-481, 3-499, 4-511, 5-567, 6-598, 7-599.

BOWLING: Shoaib Akhtar 18-2-72-0 (1nb, 1w); Sohail Tanvir 25-4-107-1 (1nb); Yasir Arafat 18-3-76-0 (1nb); Raheel Majeed 1-0-16-0; Shahzad Azam 20-0-133-3 (8nb); Babar Naeem 22-1-115-2; Naveed Qureshi 3-0-20-0; Afaq Raheem 8.2-0-47-1; Bazid Khan 3-1-5-0.

FEDERAL AREAS (2nd Innings):

Raheel Majeed lbw b Aizaz 11

Afaq Raheem c Kamran b Aizaz 7

Babar Naeem c Misbah b Rehman 0

Bazid Khan not out 14

Usman Saeed not out 4

EXTRAS (NB-1) 1

TOTAL (for three wkts, 14 overs) 37

FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-18, 3-19.

BOWLING (to-date): Wahab Riaz 2-0-17-0 (1nb); Aizaz Cheema 6-3-11-2; Abdul Rehman 5-2-6-1; Mohammad Hafeez 1-0-3-0.