Rehman’s eight-wicket haul puts HBL in driving seat

KARACHI: Left-arm former Test spinner Abdul Rehman produced excellent figures of 8-70 to enable Habib Bank Limited (HBL) to dismiss Karachi Whites for a paltry total of 154 in their first innings on the opening day of their four-day Group II Super Eight stage match of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy here at the UBL Sports Complex on Wednesday.

Rehman, whose best figures in an innings in first-class cricket are 9-65, troubled Karachi Whites’ batsmen with his superb spin bowling. After some resistance by the top order, Karachi Whites lost their last six wickets for just 48 runs.

Asad Baig scored 42 not out off 89 deliveries. He hit eight fours.

Skipper Khurram Manzoor (33), Mohammad Ahsan (26) and Omair Bin Yousuf (24) were the other main contributors.Khurram Shehzad supported Rehman with figures of 2-42.

In response, HBL were 107-4. After losing Jamal Anwar (1) and Mohammad Waqas (13) cheaply, rookie Saad Khan (53) and discarded international Umar Akmal (32) shared 63 runs for the third wicket.

The left-handed Saad, who represented Pakistan in the last ICC Under-19 World Cup, smacked ten glorious fours from 89 balls. Umar, who was bowled by off-spinner Waleed Ahmed, hammered four fours and one six from 35 deliveries. Skipper Imran Farhat (8*) and Rameez Aziz (0*) were at the crease when bails were drawn.

Waleed picked 2-22. Medium pacer Abdullah Muqaddam captured 1-10.In the other show of Group II here at the Southend Club Ground, discarded international Umar Amin (172) led from the front to enable Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to post 336-8 in their first innings against Peshawar.

The left-handed Umar blasted 32 fours and two sixes in his 19th first-class hundred. After Test opener Sami Aslam fell for a duck, Umar shared 147 runs for the second wicket with Awais Zia, who chipped in with 62 for which he faced 93 balls. Awais smashed nine fours.

Pace-man Mohammad Ilyas got 3-61. Leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood picked 2-102.At the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Ground here, holders Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) reached 232-5 in their first innings in 90 overs against the last season’s runners-up WAPDA in their Group I outing. Pakistan’s middle order Test batsman Asad Shafiq hammered solid 50 off 131 balls. The right-hander hit eight fours in his valuable knock. Khurram Shehzad scored 48 off 98 deliveries, smacking six fours. Iftikhar Ahmed, who played one Test against England last year in England, fell for 38 for which the right-hander negotiated 132 balls. He hit one six and one four.

At stumps, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq was batting on 28. With him at the other end was international all-rounder Hussain Talat on 18.Discarded Test pacer Mohammad Asif was the pick of the bowlers with 3-54.

In the other Group I clash here at NBP Sports Complex, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) posted 202-7 in their first innings against Lahore Blues. Jaahid Ali (49), Usman Arshad (45) and Mohammad Mohsin (42) played well.

Nayyar Abbas was at the crease on 34 in which he had struck four fours and one six. Left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar captured 3-69. Discarded international pacer Aizaz Cheema got 2-45.