Fiery Gul helps HBL dismiss Lahore Whites cheaply

KARACHI: Lanky Test pacer Umar Gul finally showed his class when he picked 7-32 in 11.1 overs to enable Habib Bank Limited (HBL) to dismiss Lahore Whites for only 89 in their first innings on the first day of their four-day Group B game of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy at LCCA Ground in Lahore on Monday.
Asif Raza (41) and left-handed Test opener Sami Aslam (28) were the only batsmen who managed double figures. The duo added 57 for the seventh wicket, lifting Lahore Whites from 14-6 to 71-7.
Asif struck five fours from 39 balls. Sami clobbered three fours from 73 deliveries.
Lahore Whites’ five batsmen got out without scoring.
HBL, in response, were 184-4 at stumps, for a lead of 95.
Aftab Khan was at the crease on 72 which came off 99 balls and had 12 fours.
After HBL lost Fakhar Zaman (31), Shahid Afridi (6) and skipper Imran Farhat (13) in quick succession, Aftab shared 118 for the fourth wicket with Asad Shafiq, who scored 90-ball 53 with six fours.
Asif Raza (2-65) and Saif-ur-Rehman (2-43) bowled well.
In another Group B outing, here at National Stadium, Nayyer Abbas (85) and Luqman Butt (83) shared 159 for the sixth wicket to guide Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) to 296 all out against Karachi Whites.
At one stage, KRL were reeling at 76-5 but Nayyer and Butt revived the innings in which task they were aided by sloppy fielding from the hosts.
Nayyer hammered 11 fours and a six in his 128-ball effort. Butt struck 14 fours and a six from 116 balls.
Left-arm spinner Sohaib Khan produced his career-best figures of 5-74 in his sixth first-class game. Left-arm pacer Ghulam Mudassir, playing only his second match, claimed 3-91.
Karachi Whites, in response, were 18 without loss.
“We dropped four catches. We should have restricted them to 150,” Karachi Whites’ coach Tauseef Ahmed told ‘The News’. “But still I hope our batsmen will respond well as the pitch is good for batting,” the former Test spinner said.
Akbar-ur-Rehman (104*) slammed his second hundred of the season to enable National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to reach 342-4 in their first innings against Rawalpindi at the Pindi Stadium.
Akbar, who hit 18 fours from 112 balls, shared 195 for the fifth wicket unbroken partnership with Fawad Alam, who was batting on 88 which included 11 fours.
After being invited to bat, Mohammad Nawaz (66) and Test opener Nasir Jamshed (35) provided a solid, 90 runs start to the bankers.
Yasir Arafat and Abid Hussain clinched two wickets each.
At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot, skipper Aamer Sajjad hit unbeaten 161 to steer WAPDA to 350-7 in their first innings against FATA.
After the collapse of the top order, Aamer, who hit 21 fours and a six, scored 171 for the fourth wicket with left-hander Adnan Raees (80) who hit 14 fours.
Zulfiqar Babar was at the other end on 39 in which he had struck four fours and a six.
Mohammad Irfan got 3-122. Ibrahim Gul captured 2-54.
At Diamond Ground in Islamabad, Umar Amin (133*) and Asif Zakir (100*) blasted fine hundreds to propel Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to 271-3 in their first innings against Islamabad.
Umar hit 19 fours, while Asif hammered 15 fours in his second ton of the season. Paceman Hassan Ali got 2-51.
At Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar, left-arm pacer Taj Wali recorded a hat-trick in his five wickets for 30 to enable Peshawar to dismiss Port Qasim Authority (PQA) for only 107 in their first innings. Taj removed Faraz Ali (0), skipper Khalid Latif (0) and Daniyal Ahsan (0) to record the hat-trick, the first of the season.
He was backed by left-arm pacer Nasir Ahmed who grabbed four for 52.
Kamran Younis (32) and Azam Hussain (31) were the prominent scorers for the visitors.
Peshawar, in response, were 167-2, for a lead of 60 runs. Left-handed opener Israrullah hit 80 with four boundaries. Mohammad Wasif was at the crease on 42. Ashfaq Ahmed made 41. Left-arm spinner Azam Hussain picked 2-20.
Adnan Akmal (98*) and Umar Akmal (54) guided Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) to 345-7 in their first innings against Lahore Blues at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Adnan added 79 for the eighth wicket unbroken partnership with Bilawal Bhatti, who was batting on 39. Pakistan’s Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq scored only 30 with six fours.
Malik Aftab claimed 3-85. Agha Salman captured 2-54. Sharjeel (73), Umair Khan (54) and Gulraiz Sadaf (50) hit fifties to enable Group A leaders United Bank Limited (UBL) to score 259 all out against Hyderabad at Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad.
Sajjad Hussain and Nasir Awais picked three wickets each. In response, Hyderabad were 17 without loss.