Report

Tahir Mughal's five gives United Bank win

A round-up of the third day of the eighth round of Division Two in the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy 2011-12

United Bank Limited prevailed in the low-scoring match at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground, beating Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) by 20 runs. Chasing 164, KRL began the day on 4 for 0, and failed in pursuit of what would have been the highest total of the match. United Bank's charge was led by new-ball bowler Tahir Mughal, who followed up his first-innings' six-for with a five wicket haul. Shabbir Ahmed and Rumman Raees backed up Mughal well, sharing the other five wickets between them, as none of the KRL batsmen managed to make more than Nayyer Abbas' unbeaten 40.
A team bowling performance helped Lahore Ravi complete an innings-and-six-run win against Hyderabad at Niaz Stadium in Sind. Hyderabad had begun day three on 8 for 1, following on and still trailing by 194. Lahore Ravi did not allow them to get away, striking regularly. Several batsmen got starts, but could not convert them into big innings. Only captain Mir Ali managed a half-century, scoring 66. While all the Lahore Ravi bowlers struck, Waqas Ahmed and Asif Ashfaq were the most successful, claiming three apiece.
Karachi Whites were made to follow on by Peshawar at the National Stadium in Karachi, after folding for 241 in response to the visitors' first-innings total of 440. Karachi Whites had resumed on 46 for 2, and the overnight batsmen Zeeshan Jamil and Behram Khan showed strong resistance. The pair was involved in a 115-run stand as Jamil top scored with a patient 70. But there was nothing on offer from the rest of the line-up, as Karachi Whites lost eight wickets for 101 runs. Riaz Afridi was their destroyer in chief, with 5 for 53. Peshawar struck a parting blow after enforcing the follow-on: Waqar Ahmed trapped Jamil lbw for a duck, as Karachi Whites finished on 43 for 1.
The Multan v Lahore Shalimar match at the Multan Cricket Stadium looks to be headed for an exciting final day, after the visitors finished day three on 40 for 2 in pursuit of 216. With fast bowler Asif Raza carving up their top order, Multan would have been in a much worse position had it not been for a fluent 94 from Naved Yasin, a knock that included 14 boundaries. That steered Multan from a wobbly overnight score of 46 for 4 to 250. The lower order adequately supported Yasin with cameos, but most eventually fell to Raza, who finished with a career-best 8 for 101. Mohammad Hamza and Ahmed Dar, Lahore Shalimar's openers, looked to have settled, but Mohammad Zahid brought the match back into the balance by removing the pair in quick succession just prior to stumps.
Quetta finished day three with a 169-run lead over Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), with four wickets in hand, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Quetta batted through the day, after resuming on 1 for no loss, but had no stand out performer. Almost everyone got off to starts, but were out before touching 20. The innings was held together by a painfully cautious 34 not out off 184 balls from No. 3 batsman Abid Ali. Abid apart, the only batsmen who showed sustained resistance was No. 7, Mohibullah, who top scored with 73. He was out just prior to stumps, after setting up what could be an interesting final day.