Asif's five boosts National Bank

Mohammad Asif made his presence felt at the Gaddafi Stadium, taking 5 for 35 to help bowl Water and Power Development Authority out for 133. Asif dismissed Rafatullah Mohmand and Aamer Sajjad in successive deliveries and then kept the lower order under check. Supporting him with 3 for 34 was Mohammad Talha, who picked up the top-scorer Mohammad Yousuf (35). Kamran Akmal held five dismissals behind the stumps. National Bank of Pakistan faced a hurdle when they slipped to 60 for 3, but Umar Amin (43) and Fawad Alam (50 not out of 48 balls) steadied the ship.

Khan Research Laboratories ended the first day's play at the National Stadium in a good position. Led by their bowlers, they bowled out Habib Bank for 222 and then, after an early wicket, finished the day on 56 for 1. It was a pretty poor batting performance from Habib Bank, for whom only the captain Hasan Raza reached 50. Each of the five bowlers used after Mohammad Wasim opted to field made an impression.

Pakistan Customs kept a tight leash over Karachi Whites at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium, without ever being ruthless. The day panned out in three phases: first the opening bowler Tahir Mughal quickly had Karachi at 28 for 2 after they chose to field, after which Mohtashim Ali (51), the captain Afsar Nawaz (60)and Faraz Patel propped up the innings, but Customs had the final day by taking three wickets for five runs shortly before stumps.

At the at the Lahore City Cricket Assocation Stadium, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited struggled to make 264 against Lahore Shalimar after being put in. They began poorly, slipping to 8 for 2 against Mohammad Naved, and needed half-centuries from Haris Sohail and Zulqarnain Haider to prop them up. A last-wicket stand of 70 between Zulqarnain and Saeed Ajmal (33) contributed sizably to the final score. Naved, with 3 for 68, and Saad Nasim, with 3 for 53, starred with the ball.

Just two wickets went down on day one at the Gaddafi Stadium, where Pakistan International Airlines were carried by Kamran Sajid (92 not out) and Fahad Iqbal (79). The pair added 163 after PIA slipped to 41 for 2 and Sui Southern Gas Corporation, who used eight bowlers, have their work cut out on day two.

Naved Ashraf's unbeaten 166 was the crux of Rawalpindi's 431 for 7 against Hyderabad at the Diamond Club Ground. Nine bowlers were used on the day but none managed to dislodge Ashraf, a former Pakistan player, as he smashed 20 fours and a pair of sixes in a 163-ball effort. Babar Naeem (46), Fawad Hussain (41) and Yasim Murtaza (41) offered support, and the day ended with Ashraf and Khalid Latif (50 not out off 46 balls) having taken their ninth-wicket partnership to 105.

Centuries from Khalid Latif and Ali Asad helped Karachi Blues to 276 for 4 against Abbottabad on day one at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium. Their 172-run alliance for the second wicket was crucial after the hosts opted to field, with Latif hitting his second hundred in a row.

Multan hit back before stumps at the Iqbal Stadium after they made 237, with their new-ball pair of Abdur Rauf and Rizwan Haider leaving Faisalabad hurting at 23 for 3. It was just the boost they needed after an indifferent batting performance. There were no half-centuries in the innings as Ahmed Hayat sliced Multan from 86 for 1 to 125 for 5 with his medium-pace. The last five wickets managed to add 112 and a top order collapse from Faisalabad left Multan with something to be positive about.

Kashif Siddiq led from the front with an unbeaten 121 as Lahore Ravi reached 193 for 4 against Sialkot in Muridke. It was slow going - runs came at 2.32 an over - and Siddiq's inning could yet prove to be decisive given he revived the innings from 31 for 3 and 60 for 4. Ashraf Ali, who batted 167 balls for 40, also weighed in.

Peshawar were well placed in Islamabad despite losing two wickets in quick succession before stumps. They had done the good work by keeping Quetta to 207 after opting to field, with new-ball operators Nauman Habib (4 for 67) and Imran Khan (3 for 47) the most successful. Quetta were never allowed to get going and from the depths of 79 for 6 needed some stubborn resistance from the last four to get them past 200.