Quaid Trophy: Dominant Karachi Blues close in on title

Dogar fights as Sialkot aim to prolong inevitable defeat .

KARACHI: Karachi Blues are close to becoming the new Quaid-e-Azam Trophy champions as they restrained Sialkot on the penultimate day after compiling a huge total in their first innings at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.     

It was an unfortunate beginning to the day for Blues’ batsman Akbarur Rehman, who failed to score his second double ton, after being dismissed early for an individual score of 178.

However, his knock was enough to give Karachi a sizeable first-innings lead of 199 runs as they scored a mammoth total of 428.

Bilawal Bhatti was the highest wicket-taker for Sialkot and ended with impressive figures of four for 119, while Ali Khan and Faisal Rasheed claimed two wickets each.

In reply, a struggling Sialkot showed little signs of making a strong comeback in the epic battle. They finished the fourth day at 189 for five in their second innings, still ten runs behind the Blues.

Sialkot started well with an opening stand of 43 but with the departure of wicket-keeper and opening batsman Shakeel Ansar (11), they lost two quick wickets — Majid Jehangir (37) and Faisal Khan (10) to fall in a difficult position at 71 for three.

However, Ayub Dogar, who scored a half century in the first innings, played another defiant knock to resist the Blues and take the match into the final day.

The middle-order batsman, along with captain Mansoor Amjad, shared a valuable partnership of 98 runs for the fifth-wicket, before Amjad departed after scoring a brisk 60 from 77 deliveries.

Dogar however, remained unbeaten on 57 and will resume today to try and snatch an unlikely triumph against the Blues, who will walk away with the trophy even in case of a draw, courtesy of their first innings lead.

Faisalabad close to win over Bahawalpur

In the five-day final for bottom six teams, Bahawalpur looked in dire straits against Faisalabad, who are eying to seize the match on the fourth day.

The third day saw Faisalabad setting a challenging target of 385 for their opponents after completing their second innings at 390.

Bahawalpur never looked comfortable in their chase with their batters, giving their wickets away without making significant contributions.

At stumps, they were reeling on 136 for six, needing an uphill task of adding 249 more runs to win.

Bilal Butt took two wickets while Samiullah Niazi, Imran Khalid, Khurram Shahzad and Moazam Hayat claimed one wicket apiece.

Captain Rehan Rafiq (33*) remains the main hope for Bahawalpur as they will enter into the penultimate day with just four wickets in hand and a mountain to climb.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2013.