Aizaz puts PIA within sight of final Posted by naila , Friday, January 7, 2011 at 6:38 AM, in Labels: Sports »

KARACHI: The Division Two final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship between Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) and State Bank has been extended for a day at least after foggy conditions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium yet again curtailed play on Tuesday.

The five-day final, which originally set to end on Tuesday, will continue on Wednesday until either team takes first innings lead to be declared the champions.

KRL, who were 12-1 at stumps on Sunday in reply to State Bank`s first-innings total of 303, managed to reach 74-2 on a day when just 17.1 overs were possible. The only casualty being Zulfiqar Jan who was bowled by paceman Mohammad Rameez for 30, the nightwatchman`s 49-ball knock featuring seven boundaries.

Former Pakistan batsmen, Ali Naqvi and KRL skipper Mohammad Wasim who both ironically scored century on their respective Test debuts in the 1990s, were at the crease.

The winning side will earn the right to play in Division One segment of the prestigious first-class competition next season. Abbottabad who finished third on the points` table have already qualified as the best finishers among the regional outfits.

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), who finished last among department teams in Division One, and bottom-placed Multan region will move down to Division Two tournament next season.

Scoreboard

STATE BANK
(1st Innings) 303 (Naved Yasin 77, Shoaib Khan 76, Jalat Khan 45, Afsar Nawaz 31; Yasir Arafat 9-108).
KRL
(1st Innings, overnight 12-1 from Sunday):
Saeed Anwar Jr b Naved 7
Ali Naqvi not out 24
Zulfiqar Jan b Rameez 30
Mohammad Wasim not out 8
EXTRAS
(NB-5) 5
TOTAL
(for two wkts, 19.2 overs) 74
FALL OF WKTS:
1-8, 2-62.
TO BAT:
Bilal Asad, Mohammad Idrees, Ali Khan, Yasir Arafat, Shakeel-ur-Rehman, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan.
BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Rameez 10-3-35-1 (2nb); Mohammad Naved 4.2-0-27-1; Rizwan Haider 5-1-12-0.