Cheema bowls PIA to innings win

Aizaz Cheema, the fast bowler, bettered his first-innings bowling heroics, taking six wickets for 20 runs as Pakistan International Airlines crushed table-toppers Habib Bank by an innings in Faisalabad. Trailing by 141 runs, Habib Bank began poorly, losing Imran Farhat and Saleem Elahi cheaply to Anwar Ali. Cheema scythed through Habib Bank's middle order after that, as he had done in the first innings. Habib Bank were shot out for 111 as only opener Shan Masood resisted with a patient 41. Cheema finished with match figures of 12 for 89, his third first-class ten-wicket haul.

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited's Sohail Tanvir was the other bowler to take six wickets in their thrashing of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited by an innings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Once Tanvir and his new-ball partner Mohammad Khalil had reduced SNGPL to 32 for 5 in their follow-on effort, there was no hope for them. Yasir Arafat (53) and Adil Raza (47) delayed the inevitable with an 84-run seventh-wicket partnership, but Tanvir was around. He bowled Arafat, Iftikhar Anjum did the same to Raza, and SNGPL soon caved in for 147. Raza Ali Dar (81) had stuck around in the morning but the trio of Tanvir, Anjum and Khalil were too much for SNGPL, who fell 20 short of avoiding the follow-on.

A fighting, unbeaten half-century from Kashif Naved was not enough for Multan as they went down to Rawalpindi by 52 runs at the Bahawal Stadium in Bahawalpur. Starting the day on 93 for 6 in pursuit of 193, Multan lost Abdur Rauf early when he was caught behind off Rizwan Akbar for 5. Waqas Khan and Ahmed Raza soon followed, both falling to Akbar, but last man Tahir Maqsood defended doggedly for 50 minutes as Naved kept scoring runs at the other end. The pair added 29 to delay the inevitable before left-arm fast bowler Sadaf Hussain managed to get one through Maqsood's defence to trap him lbw for a 23-ball duck, leaving Naved stranded on 62.

Islamabad inched ahead of Karachi Blues at the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad, bowling them out for 258, which left the home side needing 210 for a win. Several Karachi batsmen got starts, and all but one of the Islamabad bowlers got among the wickets. Asad Baig (37) and Murtaza Majeed (46) took Karachi to 76 for 1 but both fell to Fakhar Hussain's seamers. Atif Ali made his second half-century of the match but wickets fell regularly at the other end. Hussain and Imad Wasim took three wickets apiece as Karachi subsided for 258. Islamabad reached eight for no loss at stumps.

National Bank of Pakistan took charge against Water and Power Development Authority in Sialkot, taking a lead of 161 and then leaving WAPDA struggling on 93 for 4. Hammad Azam, the 19-year old Pakistan A batsman, remained unbeaten after reaching his maiden first-class hundred. Azam took NBP from 264 for 5 to 432, batting with the tail after Qaiser Abbas had fallen for 63. Mohammad Talha carried on from the first-innings, taking the first three WAPDA wickets to leave them reeling on 37 for 3. Aamer Sajjad (38) fought back briefly but fell late in the day as NBP finished on a high.