LAHORE, Nov 4: Half centuries from lower order batsmen Tahir Mughal and Shakeel Ansar helped Sialkot earn 129-run lead in first innings against Lahore Blues in inter-region Level-II cricket tournament at LCCA ground on Thursday.

Replying to the home team first innings total of 156, Sialkot were 116-6 before Tahir (70, eight fours) and Shakeel (51, three fours) steadied the innings as the visitors piled up 285 to earn lead, despite devastating bowling by medium-pacer Umar Javed, who finished 5-78.

Lahore Blues were 71 for three in second innings when stumps were drawn for the day-58 runs behind to avoid an innings defeat.

Peshawar were facing an innings defeat at the hands of Faisalabad at Sports Stadium, Sargodha.

Fine batting by Muhammad Shahid (84, seven fours, one six, 71 balls) and Aamar Mehmood (82, 10 fours, 148 balls) helped Faisalabad gain 156 runs lead by scoring 277 in first innings against Peshawar first innings total of 121.

By the close of play, Peshawar were in deep trouble as trailing at 123-9 in second knock - still needing 33 runs to avoid an innings defeat with only one wicket in hands.

Summarised scores.

At LCCA ground Lahore

LAHORE BLUES 1st innings 156 for all, 51.3 overs (Tariq Rasheed 71; Asim Butt 4-39, Abdur Rehman 4-50). 2nd innings 71 for three.

SIALKOT 1st innings 285 all out in 80.2 overs (Tahir Mughal 70, Shakeel Ansar 51; Umar Javed 5-75).

At Sports Stadium, Sargodha.

PESHAWAR 1st innings 121 for all, 43 overs (Ali Sawal 5-38). 2nd

innings 123 for nine in 41 overs (Farooq Iqbal 4-15, Aqeel Ahmed 4-54). FAISALABAD 1st innings 277 for 8 in 83 overs (Muhammad Shahid 84, Aamar Mehmood 82).

APP adds: Opener Farhan Khan smashed a brilliant 139 to power Lahore Whites (LW) to 322 for four wickets on the second day of their three-day Inter-region Level-II match against Quetta at UBL Sports Complex.

Farhan hammered 17 boundarieshaving added 170 runs for the second wicket with Rizwan Ahmed.

Earlier, Quetta were bowled out for 193 in their first innings with Abdul Rehman hitting 68 with ten fours.

Quetta in their second innings were 66 for three wickets, are still 63 runs.

Summarized scores:

Quetta Ist innings 193 all out in 54.2 overs (Abdul Rehman 68, Abdul Hameed 48, Waqas Ahmed 4-72, Shahid Iqbal 3-45) and 66-3 in 30 overs (Shoaib Khan 21) Lahore Whites 322-4 in 83 overs (Farhan Khan 139, Rizwan Ahmed 83, Muntzir Mehdi 47, Muhammad Asif 2-86).

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi gained a slender 17 runs first innings lead as Karachi B finished their second innings on 144 for six wickets at stumps on the second day of Level-II match of the National Inter-region cricket championship at ARL ground.

The home side resumed on 81 for four wickets and added another 156 runs to their first innings reply before being all out in 58.1 overs with Altaf hammering a fine 78, punctuated with 15 boundaries and three huge sixes.

In the Karachi second innings of 144-6 in 40.5 overs, Ashraf Ali hit a top- score of 74 with 11 hits to the fence.