Karachi Whites crush Gujranwala

Karachi, Nov 7: Karachi Whites chalked up their fourth victory in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Grade-I Cricket Championship with a crushing 208-run triumph over Gujranwala at the KCCA Stadium here on Tuesday.

The home side hardly felt the absence of their strike bowler Danish Kaneria on Monday. The leg-spinner left for Lahore to join the national camp for the first Test.

Karachi Whites were allowed by the match referee Sikander Bakht to replace Kaneria with pacer Kashif Ibrahim as per clause 3.iii in the PCB playing conditions, which clearly states that if a player is called on national duty during the course of a match, substitute will be allowed who may bat and bowl.

Kashif bowled eight overs but failed to take wicket.

The match ended on a premature note, 35 minutes after lunch on the fourth and final afternoon, when the Abdul Rehman was unable to bat in Gujranwala's second innings because his left hand was heavily bandaged as result of the injury he sustained on Sunday evening.

Rehman is likely to be out of action for 10 days at least.

Resuming at the overnight score of 69 for three, the visitors lost the remaining six wickets for 92 runs. The only redeeming feature for Gujranwala was Zahid Fazal's gallant contribution of 74.

The 27-year-old Test discard added 36 to his Monday's tally of 38 before his 182-minute stay was finally over with the total on 132. Adnan Malik on the long-on fence held a well-judged catch to provide off-spinner Tahir Khan his third of four wickets.

Zahid's 188-ball knock was laced with 11 fours. He was involved in the only major partnership of the innings with his captain Majid Saeed, who made 21 off 111 deliveries. The pair put on 71 for the fourthwicket in 123 minutes.

Both Tahir and the slow left-armer Adnan Malik bowled with great control and variation to share all the wickets to fall on Monday. Tahir finishing with four for 44 in 24 overs while Adnan, who was not required to bowl in the first innings, chipped in with two for 28 in 15.2 overs.

With the maximum points from this win, leaders Karachi Whites have 51 points to their credit. They take on Sheikhupura at the UBL Sports Complex from Friday in the sixth round.