KARACHI: Habib Bank, boosted by fine bowling from Pakistan discards Umar Gul and Abdur Rehman, annihilated Faisalabad Wolves under three days to go top of the Silver League standings in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship on Sunday.

Spinner Rehman grabbed 5-53 in 17 overs and seamer Umar Gul 4-19 in 10 overs as the Wolves were bundled out for 96 after resuming the third day of the four-day Group-II fixture at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad at 4-1 to give Habib Bank deserved innings and 70-run victory.

Habib Bank now sit on top of the pool with 23 points from three matches.

Pakistan Television (PTV) also registered an early success as they whipped Quetta Bears in two days of plat after Friday’s opening day was washed out at the National Cricket Ground was washed out.

Replying to the Bear’s 194, PTV made 307 thanked to a 146-run partnership for the third wicket between Mohammad Naeem (64) and Nawaz Ahmed (81).

The Bears, starting their second innings 113 runs behind, then folded up for 51 in 16.5 overs with Waqar Ahmed (6-38) and Mohammad Abbas (4-13) doing the damage.

PIA need another 36 runs to clinch their second win in here outings after closing at 73-2 against Lahore Eagles at the LCCA Ground in Lahore. Skipper Kamran Sajid is batting on 44.

Earlier, the Eagles made 166 all out in the second innings after conceding 58-run lead to PIA. Jahangir Mirza made a gallant 92 9156 balls, 13 boundaries), while off-spinner Tahir khan claimed six for 40 in 15 overs.

Sialkot Stallions made a spirited response to their massive target of 543 by reaching 214-2 against Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) at the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot. Atiq-ur-Rehman (85) and skipper Faisal Khan (84) have so far put on 148.

Earlier, SSGC closed their second innings at 413-8 with Haris Khan making 121.

State Bank, in search for their first win, saw Abbottabad Falcons collect 181-7 in their second innings after earning a lead of 65 on the first at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium in Abbottabad.

KRL are also closing on victory after easing to 99-1 while chasing 140 against Karachi Zebras here at the UBL Sports Complex. Skipper Saeed Anwar Jr, showing no signs of discomfort that laid him low on Friday, had scored an undefeated 57.

Earlier, Zeeshan Jamil contributed 112 (178 balls, 16 boundaries and one six) and Jaahid Ali 78 as the Zebras totalled 324 in their second innings.

Close of play scores and results on Sunday (day three of four): Group-I:

At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: KARACHI ZEBRAS 83 in 27.3 overs (Ahmed Iqbal 38 not out; Yasir Arafat 4-25, Mohammad Irfan 3-10, Sadaf Hussain 2-22) and 324 in 115.2 overs (Zeeshan Jamil 112, Jaahid Ali 78, Mansoor Ahmed 36; Saeed Anwar Jr 3-29, Sadaf Hussain 2-51); KRL 268 in 94.4 overs (Usman Arshad 61, Imam-ul-Haq 51; Basit Ali 5-49, Mansoor Ahmed 5-104) and 99-1 in 25 overs (Saeed Anwar Jr 57 not out).

At LCCA Ground, Lahore: LAHORE EAGLES 206 in 85.2 overs (Asif Raza 64, Mohammad Waheed 35; Najaf Shah 2-25, Aizaz Cheema 2-30, Hazrat Shah 2-54, Tahir Khan 2-70) and 166 in 56.5 overs (Jahangir Mirza 92, Abdul Hameed 39; Tahir Khan 6-40, Najaf Shah 2-15, Fahad Iqbal 2-10); PIA 264 in 73 overs (Shoaib Khan 69, Shaharyar Ghani 58, Faisal Iqbal 36; Asif Raza 4-51, Shahnawaz Jr 3-72) and 73-2 in 15 overs (Kamran Sajid 44 not out).

At National Cricket Ground, Islamabad: Pakistan Television beat Quetta Bears by an innings and 62 runs.

QUETTA BEARS 194 in 52.5 overs (Shahid Tareen 60; Usman Ashraf 4-38, Mohammad Abbas 4-84, Ali Raza 2-48) and 51 in 16.5 overs (Waqar Ahmed 6-38, Mohammad Abbas 4-13); PAKISTAN TELEVISION 307 in 93 overs (Nawaz Ahmed 81, Mohammad Naeem 64, Rizwan Ahmed 46, Raheel Majeed 38; Zainullah 4-61, Nazar Hussain 2-61, Gohar Faiz 2-64). Group-II:

At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Habib Bank beat Faisalabad Wolves by an innings and 70 runs.

HABIB BANK 332 in 103.4 overs (Asad Baig 72, Fakhar Zaman 69, Abdur Rehman 50; Imran Ali 3-94, Fahim Ashraf 2-54, Shahroz Raza 2-81, Faisal Yasin 2-84); FAISALABAD WOLVES 166 in 62 overs (Abdur Rehman 4-64, Aslam Qureshi 3-22, Umar Gul 2-51) and 96 in 36 overs (Abdur Rehman 5-53, Umar Gul 4-19).

At Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot: SSGC 210 in 50.4 overs (Usman Tariq 66, Tabish Khan 43 not out, Awais Zia 34; Hasan Ali 5-97, Ali Zubair 2-22, Waqas Ahmed 2-63) and 413-8 decl. in 78 overs (Haris Khan 121, Awais Zia 108, Saifullah Khan Bangash 50; Bilal Asif 3-70, Waqas Ahmed 3-84); SIALKOT STALLIONS 81 in 32.3 overs (Atiq-ur-Rehman 41; Tabish Khan 6-33, Rajesh Ramesh 2-16) and 214-2 in 51 overs (Atiq-ur-Rehman 85 not out, Faisal Khan 84 not out).

At Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: ABBOTTABAD FALCONS 219 in 84.5 overs (Khalilullah 68, 126 balls, 9 x4s, Waqar Orakzai 40, Mohammad Ali 38, Saad Altaf 5-64, Kashif Bhatti 4-22) and 181-7 in 59 overs (Rameez Ahmed 48, Khalilullah 36 not out; Mohammad Naved 3-43, Kashif Bhatti 2-39); STATE BANK 284 in 82.2 overs (Abid Ali 47, Naved Yasin 39, Usman Salahuddin 39, Kashif Bhatti 38; Umair Khan 3-68, Mohammad Ikramullah 3-88, Shakeel 2-58).

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2014