KARACHI, Feb 13: Reigning champions Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) made their intentions clear by dominating the opening day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship Group ‘A’ match against Karachi Whites here on Friday.

Skipper Mohammad Hafeez’s decision to field first at the NBP Sports Complex paid off handsomely as Karachi Whites crashed to a measly 121 all out in their first innings after their top-order was destroyed by opening bowlers Imran Ali (4-48) and Samiullah Niazi (3-26).

Hafeez then led from the front to score an unbeaten 74 (122 balls, 10 fours) as the visitors ended the day 134-2.

Only young wicket-keeper/batsman Adnan Baig managed to make a respectable contribution after the first seven Karachi Whites wickets fell for just 62 runs. Adnan struck a defiant unbeaten 50 off 71 balls with eight boundaries.

Karachi Whites, however, hit back immediately when ex-Test paceman Mohammad Sami – making his first appearance in the championship after a Sindh High Court ruling this week allowed 11 of the 19 ICL players to play domestic cricket – had SNGPL opener Yasir Arafat Jr caught behind for a duck.

But that turned out to be minor success for Karachi Whites as Hafeez and Umar Akmal (33) added 91 for the second wicket before the latter was caught at the wicket off medium-pacer Khalid Mahmood.

SNGPL are currently lying in fourth spot in Group ‘A’ with 27 points.

Meanwhile, rain played havoc with five matches that were scheduled to begin on Friday. The first day of all three games in the twin cites of Rawalpindi and Islamabad saw no action at all.Likewise, there was no play in the fixtures involving hosts Peshawar and Sialkot at the Arbab Niaz Stadium and the Faisalabad-Abbottabad tie at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Lahore: Devastating bowling by left-arm paceman Wahab Riaz put Group ‘A’ leaders National Bank in a commanding position against Lahore Shalimar at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Wahab captured five for 36 in 11 overs as Lahore Shalimar were bundled out for 134 after they were invited to bat first by stand-in NBP skipper Qaiser Abbas. Wahab received good support from fellow left-arm opening bowler Mohammad Aamir (3-36) and right-arm medium-pacer Mohammad Imran (2-33).

National Bank then raced to 173-1 in reply with Umar Amin (67 off 108 balls, 12 fours) and debutant Anwar Hafeez (47 off 78 balls, eight boundaries) putting on 87 for the unbroken second-wicket partnership.

Rashid Riaz (45 off 56 balls, eight fours) fell LBW to left-arm pacer Salman Rahat after adding 86 with Umar for the opening stand.

Pakistan paceman Rao Iftikhar, overlooked by the national selectors for next week’s first Test against Sri Lanka, claimed four for 85 as ZTBL restricted Pakistan Customs to 280 in their first innings at the Sheikhupura Stadium.

Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan all-rounder who was banned after he joined Indian Cricket League, returned to domestic cricket with three for 36, including the wicket of Customs skipper Bilal Shafayat (55).

ZTBL replied with 6-1 at stumps.

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, another ICL recruit, also made a comeback for Wapda who reached 259-6 in their first innings against Sui Southern Gas Corporation (SSGC) at the Lahore Country Club Ground in Muridke.

Naved will get his chance to bat first thing on Saturday morning, weather permitting, after Wapda lost their sixth wicket in day’s final over when left-arm medium-pacer Murad Khan dismissed Ali Azmat for 102 (15 fours).

Earlier, Ali Azmat and skipper Aamir Sajjad engineered a good recovery by Wapda after the first four wickets fell for 77 runs. The pair added 152 before Aamir was run out for 66.

An undefeated 83 from Naveed Yasin guided Multan to 234-7 in their first innings against Lahore Ravi in a Group ‘B’ match at the LCCA Ground. Slow left-armer Sohail Ahmed took four for 25 in 16 overs for the home team.

Scores on Friday (day one of four):

Group ‘A’:

At NBP Sports Complex, Karachi: KARACHI WHITES 121 in 41 overs (Adnan Baig 50 not out; Imran Ali 4-48); SNGPL 134-2 in 40 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 74 not out).

At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: LAHORE SHALIMAR 134 in 36.4 overs (Wahab Riaz 5-36); NATIONAL BANK 173-1 in 38.2 overs (Umar Amin 67 not out).

At Sheikhupura Stadium: PAKISTAN CUSTOMS 280 in 77.3 overs (Bilal Shafayat 55, Zeeshan Ali 50 not out; Rao Iftikhar 4-85); ZTBL 6-1 in 3 overs.

At Lahore Country Club Ground, Muridke: WAPDA 259-6 in 82.3 overs (Ali Azmat 102, Aamir Sajjad 66) v SSGC.

At KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi: KRL v HABIB BANK, no play because of rain.

Group ‘B’:

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: MULTAN 234-7 in 85 overs (Naveed Yasin 83 not out; Sohail Ahmed 4-25) v LAHORE RAVI.

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha: FAISALABAD v ABBOTTABAD, no play because of rain.

At Marghazar Ground, Islamabad: RAWALPINDI v QUETTA, no play because of rain.

At Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad: ISLAMABAD v KARACHI Blues, no play because of rain.

At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar: PESHAWAR v SIALKOT, no play because of rain.