Weather plays spoilsport across Pakistan
A round-up of the fourth day of the eighth round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches
Cricinfo staff
10-Feb-2009
Group A
A weather-marred clash between National Bank of Pakistan and Water and Power Development Authority at the in Mirpur. Having dismissed WAPDA for 280 on day one, NBA only got in eight overs for two days, with just seven over possible on day two and none on day three. When matters finally let up on the final day, NBA's openers Nasir Jamshed and Umar Amin picked up centuries. They pair added 285 and after Amin fell for 127, the captain Fawad Alam chipped in with an unbeaten 51 from 50 balls. Jamshed finished not out on 156.
Karachi Whites batted out a draw against Khan Research Laboratories at the National Bank Sports Complex in Karachi. Resuming on 210 for 1 - a lead of 125 - Karachi's overnight pair of Asad Shafiq and Khalid Latif were separated early in the morning but Shafiq completed his century, the second of the team's second innings. The middle order also weighed in with handy contributions. Only six wickets fell and Karachi Whites ended the match on 455 for 7.
Bad weather interrupted what seemed like a chance at victory for Pakistan International Airlines over Lahore Shalimar at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. PIA were five wickets away from victory but no play was possible on the final day.
Similar scenes at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where no play was possible on day four. Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited held the upper hand over Habib Bank Limited on day three but were denied a chance to push for a win.
Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited were also robbed of a chance to complete victory over Sui Southern Gas Corporation in Muridke. ZTBL needed five wickets to stop SSCG, 89 for 5 overnight, from chasing a target of 221, but inclement weather played spoilsport.
Group B
Only 12 overs were possible on the final day in Sheikhupura. In that small window, Abbottabad - who began the day just 15 runs ahead - proceeded from 157 for 4 to 177 for 5, and when play was called off they had staved off table-toppers Sialkot.
Lahore Ravi's declaration left Peshawar an impossible 220 to win from 22 overs, and the match petered out into a draw at the Arbab Niaz Stadium. Lahore Ravi resumed the final day on 114 for 0 and soon lost Kashif Siddiq and Mohammad Sohail. A few more wickets fell before the innings was declared at 205 for 6. Peshawar lost a couple wickets and then hit the snooze button, finishing on 87 for 2 in 22 overs.
Karachi Blues began the fourth day 80 runs in arrears of Faisalabad, and batted well to secure a draw in Sargodha. From 150 for 4 they were helped to 412 for 9 thanks to Sheharyar Ghani's unbeaten 181 and fifties by Faraz Patel and Owais Rehmani. Ghani, in his eighth match, batted all day to finish unbeaten at stumps with a superb effort to his credit. In all, he batted 409 minutes and 333 minutes for his career-best effort. Zahoor Khan took all five wickets to fall, finishing with 7 for 86, and 12 for the match.
As expected, the match between Rawalpindi and Hyderabad at the Niaz Stadium finished in a draw. Hyderabad batted from 293 for 5 to 422, Azeem Ghumon missing a maiden double-century by one run, and in 19 overs remaining Rawalpindi made 90 for no loss.
| Team | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | Aban | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khan RL | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 |
| National Bnk | 7* | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 |
| PIA | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 |
| Habib Bank | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
| Sui Gas | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
| Zarai TBL | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 15 |
| Sui Sthn Gas | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| WAPDA | 7* | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
| Karachi Whites | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Lahore Shalimar | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Pakistan Customs | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Team | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | Aban | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sialkot | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 |
| Rawalpindi | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 39 |
| Islamabad | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 |
| Abbottabad | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
| Faisalabad | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| Multan | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| Peshawar | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| Karachi Blues | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Lahore Ravi | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 12 |
| Hyd (Pakstn) | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Quetta | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |