ISLAMABAD, Nov 12 (APP):The second day of the seventh Quaid-e-Azam Trophy round saw wickets galore with eight five-wicket hauls across the five games, while Shan Masood was the lone batter to strike a century as exciting action unfolded at all five venues.

Multan required another 288 runs to win against Sialkot at the Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad as they were 103-2 in 30 overs at stumps chasing 391-run target after an eventful 20-wicket day.

Zain Abbas (41 not out, 74b, 3x4s, 1×6) and Waqar Hussain (23 not out, 60b, 2x4s) put on unbeaten 54 runs towards the end after Hamza Nazar had accounted for both Multan openers.

Earlier in the day chaos ensued Multan’s first and Sialkot’s second innings as wickets fell at regular intervals with Usama Mir, Mehran Mumtaz and Ali Usman bagging five-fors in the process.

Resuming from their overnight score of 63-2 in 13 overs, Multan fell in Sialkot’s spin trap as skipper Usama (7.4-2-28-5) and left-arm spinner Mehran (13-3-48-5) combined to take 10-76 in 20.4 overs bagging their third and fourth first-class five-fors, respectively. Multan, who were skittled for 139 in 33.4 overs, conceded a 149-run first innings deficit.

In turn, Multan’s Ali Usman bagged his sixth first-class five for and second in the match (5-98 and 5-98) to reduce Sialkot to 101-8.

At this juncture no.10 batter Hasan Ali slammed his ninth first-class half-century falling nine short of his second such ton (91, 64b, 8x4s, 7x6s) as he stitched a 53-run ninth-wicket stand with Afzaal Manzoor (25, 31b, 3x4s) and an 87-run stand with Usama Mir (18 not out, 38b, 2x4s) to help his team post a sizable target for Multan.

Faisalabad gained a massive 227-run first innings lead over Islamabad on the back of Test pacer Khurram Shahzad’s 15th first-class five-wicket haul (16-5-53-5) as Islamabad were bundled out for 159 in reply to Faisalabad’s 386 at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Khurram was aided by left-arm pacer Jahandad Khan (3-27) and left-arm spinner Ahmed Safi Abdullah (2-43) in inflicting an 85-7 collapse over Islamabad as they went from 74-3 to 159 all out in 52.1 overs. Wicketkeeper Ali Shan grabbed five catches behind the stumps, three off Khurram and two off Jahandad.

At close of play, Faisalabad were eight for no loss having faced one over.

Earlier, Faisalabad could only add 64 runs to their overnight score of 322-4 in 81 overs as Islamabad’s pacer Hunain Shah bagged his maiden first-class five-wicket haul (5-84 in 18.4 overs). Jahandad, batting at no.8 struck four fours and three sixes in his 46-ball 40.

Karachi Blues tormented Abbottabad at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi as pacer Saqib Khan recorded his best bowling in the format returning figures of 15.1-3-34-7 to dismiss the latter for 191, who conceded a 67-run first innings deficit.

Then in turn, Blues’ no.3 and Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood (114 not out, 116b, 14x4s, 2x6s) slammed his 32nd first-class century to lead his team to 202-3 in 43 overs at stumps – 269 ahead of Abbottabad. Shan also shared a 98-run third-wicket stand with Saud Shakeel (33, 69b, 4x4s, 1×6).

Abbottabad had resumed from their overnight score of 31-3 and were soon reduced to 78-5 and 149-7 as no.7 batter Khayyam Khan’s half-century (59, 105b, 7x4s, 1×6) kept them afloat while Saqib bested his previous best bowling of 6-62 against Multan in the same tournament.

Bahawalpur were made to follow-on by Fata after they fell for 146 all out in 55.1 overs in reply to 396 all out at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar. Bahawalpur will resume their second innings tomorrow after only one ball was possible towards the end of day two.

Fata’s Hayatullah returned figures of 19-4-71-6 to help his team gain a massive 250-run first innings lead. Earlier, FATA had resumed from overnight score of 271-5 and managed to add 125 runs to their total. Wicketkeeper-batter Rehan Afridi fell 12 runs short of his eighth-first-class century (88, 123b, 8x4s).

At the Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad, Sajid Khan-led Peshawar were 123 runs ahead of Lahore Whites as they finished the day two with 108-2 in 33 overs building on their slim 15-run first-innings gain. Israrullah was unbeaten on 61 off 103 balls hitting five fours and two sixes.

Test off-spinner Sajid earlier picked up his 20th first-class five-wicket haul accounting for figures of 30-8-82-5 as Lahore Whites added 200 runs to their overnight score of 30-2 courtesy half-centuries from no.6 batter Qasim Akram (82, 126b, 7x4s, 3x6s) and opening batter Ali Zaryab (57, 133b, 7x4s).