Bowlers make merry in Peshawar

Sixteen wickets tumbled on the opening day of the match between Peshawar and Quetta at the Arbaz Niaz Stadium in Peshawar. The visitors, who are in last place in the division, having lost of four of their previous five matches, chose to field, and it appeared that their decision was correct one as they reduced Peshawar to 91 for 7. But Nauman Habib responded with an attacking 78 laced with 14 fours, and added 79 for the eighth wicket with Jamaluddin, who made 46, to see the home side past the 200-mark. Arun Lal completed his fourth career five-wicket haul, 5 for 69. The Quetta batsmen also struggled, stuttering to 87 for 6, with Taimur Khan batting on 27 and Manzoor Ahmad yet to open his account.

Ghulam Mohammad and Nadeem Akhtar made battling half-centuries to ensure honours were shared between Abbotabad and State Bank of Pakistan at the Abbotabad Cricket Stadium. The hosts began the day in positive fashion, with Waqar Orakzai, who was unlucky to be run out two short of a half-century, adding 88 with Mohammad. Three quick wickets followed, before Akhtar and Mohammad, who batted for almost five hours for his 90, put on 78 for the fifth wicket before Mohammad nicked one to the keeper to give Nazar Hussein his second scalp of the day. Akhtar remained unbeaten on 53, with Abbotabad on 220 for 5.

Emmad Ali and Aamer Hayat combined to take eight wickets as Karachi Whites were dismissed for 261 at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium in Karachi. Lahore Whites lost opener Hamza Paracha to the second ball of their innings, but saw out the remaining 10.4 overs to reach 34 for 1. Karachi's innings was built around a 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Asif Zakir and Rameez Aziz, both of whom made half-centuries. Zakir was the more circumspect of the pair, taking 147 balls for his 55, while Aziz was more aggressive, striking nine fours and a six in making 61 from 88. Ali and Hayat then knocked over the lower order, with the former taking 5 for 66 and the latter 3 for 69.

An unbeaten century from Raheel Majeed carried Pakistan Television to 252 for 6 against Khan Research Laboratories at the Khan Research Laboratory Ground in Rawalpindi. PT had stumbled to 118 for 5, but Majeed kept his head while all about him was losing theirs, adding 52 with Naeem Anjum for the sixth wicket and an unbroken 82 with Yasim Murtaza for the seventh. He batted for five hours and 40 minutes to make 128, studded with 18 fours. Murtaza was on 27, having faced 88 balls. Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan was the day's most successful bowler, taking 3 for 61.

Hyderabad struggled to 212 against Lahore Ravi, going past 200 only because the hosts conceded 45 extras, more than 20% of the total, at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Only one batsman managed to score more than the extras, Nasrullah Memon making a determined 50, but he received little support from his team-mates. Abdul Gaffar and Shabbir Ahmad took three wickets each, while Asif Ashfaq and Tanzeel Altaf took two apiece. Lahore managed 3 for no loss before the end of the day's play.