Rauf and Butt put KRL on top

Abdul Rauf and Shahzad Butt, opening bowlers of Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), produced fiery spells to bundle Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) out for a poor 123 on the opening day of their Group A Patron's Trophy Cricket Championship match at Karachi.

By stumps, KRL had replied with 144 for 4 in 33 overs to clinch a 21 run first-innings lead before the day's play was called off seven overs early because of fading light. Mohammad Wasim, KRL's captain who has opened the batting for Pakistan, made an enterprising 61 off 65 balls with the aid of 10 boundaries.

Sent in to bat on a lively pitch, PIA's powerful batting tumbled for a meagre total, 45 minutes before tea as Wasim's decision to bowl first had paid rich dividends. The lanky Abdul Rauf snapped up 5 for 54 in a hostile spell to wreck the PIA batting. Shahzad Butt, his medium-pace partner, claimed 3 for 38 while Ali Naqvi claimed 2 for 12 with his medium-pace bowling.

Asif Mujtaba, the former Pakistan allrounder, top-scored with an unbeaten 44 from 96 deliveries with seven fours and Bazid Khan got a useful 23. KRL are currently lying at the bottom in the five-team Group A points table. They started the tournament by losing both their matches in the first two rounds.

Habib Bank were restricted to a first-day score of 260 for 8 by Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL), in their Group A match at Karachi. After a tall-scoring draw against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), also their opponents in last season's rained-off final, and a comfortable nine-wicket win against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Habib Bank found the SNGPL bowlers a slightly different proposition.

Imran Khalid, the 21-year-old slow left-armer from Kasur, turned in another mature bowling effort in taking 5 for 72 runs after Habib Bank had won the toss and elected to bat first. Strengthened by the inclusion of Younis Khan, who rushed to Karachi from Rawalpindi after completing the five-match one-day series against England, Habib Bank should have continued with their early form in the tournament. But the SNGPL bowlers appear to have won the first round.

Three batsmen, including Younis, reached 40s for Habib Bank. After opener Imran Farhat had scored an exact 40, in a 67-run second-wicket stand with Aftab Khan, Younis and Farhan Adil got involved in a fifth-wicket partnership of 81. Farhan, who has appeared in a Test match for Pakistan, top-scored with 49 off 116 balls with three boundaries.

The ninth-wicket pair of Kamran Hussain (23) and Junaid Zia (16) lifted Habib Bank with an unbroken 46-run stand later in the day. Habib Bank have been a record seven time winners of the Patron's Trophy Championship title.

There was no play due to rain, bad weather and poor light in the two Group B matches in the third-round of the Patron's Trophy Cricket Championship, at venues in the Punjab on Thursday. Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) were to meet second-placed National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in their four-day match at the Sheikhupura Stadium.

At the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), the runners-up of the 2003-04 competition, were to start their encounter against Service Industries, who are currently placed at the bottom of the five-team Group B table. NBP have won the Patron's Trophy title on five occasions. Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), formerly known as the Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP), have picked up this trophy four times. None of the other teams have been as lucky yet. Service Industries are playing in this season's Patron's Trophy tournament, after having gained promotion following their win in last season's Patron's Trophy Grade-II Championship final.