Hasan Raza boosts Habib Bank to 663

Pakistan discards starred as Habib Bank amassed a first-innings total of 663 for 8 on the second day of their first-round Patron's Trophy Cricket Championship match against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), at the United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex Ground No.1 on Sunday.

Imran Farhat achieved a first-class career-best score of 242, Hasan Raza - who played in two of the recent Test matches against England before being sent back to the barracks -- contributed 178 and Humayun Farhat hit a characteristic quickfire 71 down the order.The third-wicket partnership between Imran and Hasan was worth 361 runs and took the total from 148-2 to beyond 500. Imran added an exact 100 to his overnight 142. Having already attained his 15th hundred in 90 first-class matches, he batted for nine hours 23 minutes and faced 402 balls for his 242, with 25 fours and a six. Hasan scored 178 runs off 303 deliveries in just short of seven hours with 15 fours and two sixes. This was his 26th knock of hundred or more in his first-class career.

Imran now has 6,000 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 42.25. His brother Humayun, playing in his first season for Habib Bank, needed only 66 balls to hit 71 runs with six boundaries. Junaid Zia and Humayun added 74 runs for the eighth wicket. Junaid was still at the crease with an unbeaten 32, made off 48 balls with one four.

Service Industries took a first-innings lead of 50 runs against Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) on the second day of their first-round Patron's Trophy Cricket Championship match at the Iqbal Stadium. Masood Asim hit an unbeaten 96 in Service Industries' first innings of 234, before he ran out of partners after having gone in at No.3. He was assisted capably by Afaq Rahim (46) and Mohammad Irshad (28).Tahir Mughal captured 5-64 for PTCL with Waqar Ahmed taking 3-63. In PTCL's score of 184 all out, the best innings was Zulqarnain Haider's 59 off 127 balls with seven fours. For Services, Mohammad Irshad (3-79) and Jamshed Ahmed (4-35) were the pick of the bowlers. At the end of the day, the Services' opening pair had made 24 without being separated, having taken the team's overall lead to 74 runs.

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) surrendered a 45-runs first-innings lead to Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) as they replied with a score of 241 runs on the second day of their first-round Patron's Trophy Cricket Championship match at the Sheikhupura Stadium. They bettered ZTBL's rather modest first-innings effort of 196 all out. By the close of play, ZTBL had lost one second-innings wicket with only five runs on the board. Adil Nisar, the WAPDA captain, top-scored with 75 off 100 balls with 12 fours. His first-wicket stand with Asif Hussain (27) was also worth 75 runs. Of the other batsmen, Ali Azmat hit 33 and Aamer Sajjad 29. Rao Iftikhar and Tanvir Ahmed picked up three wickets each for 93 and 64 runs, respectively. Kashif Raza was WAPDA's most successful bowler with 4-68 while Sarfraz Ahmed took 3-65.

Pakistan Customs were still 113 runs behind with just two wickets standing, as the second day of their first-round Patron's Trophy Cricket Championship match against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), ended at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Sports Complex. KRL, after having resumed at their overnight 200-7, were dismissed for a total of 277. In reply, Customs had lost eight wickets for 164 runs. For KRL, Mohammad Wasim, the former Pakistan opening batsman, was the top-scorer with 62 runs made off 149 balls with eight fours. Down the order, Usman Saeed hit an unbeaten 57 off 174 balls with four boundaries. For Customs, Murtaza Hussain captured four wickets for 106 runs from 42 overs. Azam Hussain picked up 3-71 from his 24.3 overs. Fawad Alam, who scored 41 runs off 76 balls with eight fours, was the Customs' only batsman to put up substantial resistance. Alamgir Khan took three wickets for 32 runs.