Misbah double-hundred propels Sui Northern Gas

Misbah-ul-Haq compiled a splendid double-hundred but Sufyan Munir fell in the nervous nineties as Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) amassed a first-innings score of 498 for 8 against Pakistan Customs on day two of their second round Patron's Trophy Cricket Championship match at Karachi.

Misbah maintained his fine run on the domestic circuit with his 21st first-class century - and third double-hundred - which is now his highest. Batting for just over nine hours, he faced 397 balls and hit 12 fours and six sixes. Misbah was particularly severe on Murtaza Hussain's offbreaks, launching him for for three sixes, and Stephen John, the fast bowler, who was twice struck out of the ground. Murtaza, who had five wickets in his last match against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), finished with none for 105 in 37 overs.

Playing in his 99th first-class match, Misbah was first associated in a 166-run partnership in 288 minutes for the third wicket with Munir before putting on a further 165 runs for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Salman, the wicketkeeper, to build a big total for his team.

Munir was unlucky to miss what would have been his career's eighth hundred when he was bowled by Imran Ali's medium pace for 91. Sufyan clubbed 13 boundaries in his 91 off 250 balls while occupying the crease for almost five and a half hours. Misbah too fell just before the close, offering a return catch to Afsar Nawaz, the part-time offspinner, trying to pull him over midwicket.

Salman hit an attractive 72 in 126 deliveries, with four boundaries and three sixes. Imran Ali, with a marathon 41 overs sent down so far, has been the most successful bowler with three wickets for 109 runs.

Habib Bank nosed ahead of Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) to take a 21-run lead on the second day of their second-round Patron's Trophy match at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Sports Complex in Karachi.

After having dismissed KRL for a rather modest score of 247 on the opening day, Habib Bank reached 268 for the loss of six wickets by the close of play yesterday. Farhan Adil, the middle-order batsman, was still at the wicket with an unbeaten 73 off 134 balls with six fours. After a useful start, Hasan Raza, the Habib Bank captain, and Aftab Khan came together for an 84-run partnership for the third wicket. Aftab's 59 runs saw him negotiate 156 balls in just over three-and-a-half hours as he hit eight boundaries.

Raza followed his knock of 178 in the first-round match against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) with a useful 44 off 87 deliveries with two fours. Another 62 runs came for the fourth-wicket stand between Aftab and Adil, who played for Pakistan in a Test match against Bangladesh two years ago.

In their first-round match, a tall-scoring affair, Habib Bank - record seven-time Patron's Trophy winners - claimed the three first-innings points from a draw against PIA.

Service Industries were hurtling towards a certain defeat as the second day of their match against National Bank came to a close at the Sheikhupura Stadium.

National Bank first gained a big 164 runs first-innings lead over Service, who had been dismissed for a mere 72 on the opening day, and then restricted them to 90 for 5. Service still need another 75 runs to make National Bank bat again. Wasim Khan, the fast-medium bowler from Lahore, proved to be Service's tormentor yet again, taking 4 for 39 to add to his first innings 6 for 38.

National Bank, five-time Patron's Trophy winners, had equalled the Service first-innings total by stumps on the first day, for the loss of only two wickets. Yesterday, they took their tally to 236 all out but still attained a substantial advantage. No National Bank batsman crossed 50 but there were three individual scores in the 40s. Mansoor Amjad, the allrounder, top-scored with 47 from the No.7 spot, with five fours and a six. The Service bowlers were wayward, conceding 26 no-balls as the extras column reached a shocking 44. However, Rizwan Akbar, the young fast bowler, achieved first-class career-best figures of 6 for 76 from 11.5 overs.

Earlier, Imran Nazir, the former Pakistan opener, hammered a characteristic 46 off 64 balls with seven boundaries. Naved Latif, who has also represented Pakistan, needed a mere 28 deliveries to smash 42.

Service qualified for this season's first-class circuit after having won the Patron's Trophy Grade-II tournament in 2004-05. They were beaten by Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) in their first-round Group B encounter.

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) cleared the first hurdle when they gained the first innings advantage over Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), on the second day of their clash at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

PTCL finished the day's play at 265 for 6 - which took them six runs ahead - after ZTBL made 259 on the opening day. PTCL's sound position was made possible by a 116-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Zulqarnain Haider, the wicketkeeper, and Aamer Bashir, the captain. While Bashir hit a quick 77 off 114 deliveries with 12 fours, Zulqarnain remains at the wicket with an unbeaten 88 runs to his name.

PTCL had started the day precariously placed at 3 for 2 before a third-wicket stand of 82 between Zulqarnain and Ashar Zaidi, the left-handed opener, steadied them. Zulqarnain, who has so far faced 250 balls and hit seven fours, found another able partner in Shahzad Malik (33) as 44 runs were added for the fifth wicket. Shahzad got his runs off only 36 balls with two fours and a six.

ZTBL, who have won the Patron's Trophy title four times, were beaten by their 2003-04 runners-up Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in the first round. PTCL, however, took six points from their win over Service Industries in their opening game.