LAHORE: With President’s Trophy final spots still up for grabs, the three leading sides – SNGPL, WAPDA, and KRL – had a difficult opening day of final-round action in Karachi on Monday.

SNGPL, who share the top spot with WAPDA on 114 points, were skittled out for 182 by OGDCL’s Test spinner Asif Afridi, who finished with figures of 29-8-71-6. Danish Aziz and Mohammad Amir Khan took two wickets apiece, while Mubasir Khan, with 52, was the only SNGPL batter to offer significant resistance.

When play ended at the UBL Sports Complex, OGDCL had reached 63 for two, with Test opener Imam-ul-Haq batting on 36.

WAPDA were sent on a leather chase by State Bank at the State Bank Stadium as the bankers collected 394 before being bowled out just before stumps. Middle-order batter Rameez Aziz was in a punishing mood, scoring 145 from 182 balls, including 15 fours and four sixes.

Opener Abdullah Fazal scored 72 off 84 balls with nine fours and three sixes. Qasim Akram (45) and Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (30) were the other prominent run-scorers, while WAPDA’s Naqeebullah and Khalid Usman took three wickets each, conceding 38 and 76 runs, respectively.

KRL, currently sitting third with 97 points, were bowled out for 189 by Ghani Glass at the KCCA Stadium. Sameen Gul was the destroyer-in-chief of the KRL innings, returning figures of 18-7-42-6.

No. 8 batter Hamza Nazar saved KRL’s blushes by scoring 71 off 80 balls with 10 fours. He walked out to bat with the score at 68 for six and managed to add 121 runs with the final four wickets.

When stumps were drawn for the day, Ghani Glass had reached 45 for two.

At the Oval Academy Ground, defending champions PTV dismissed Sahir Associates for 267 and reached 60 for one at the close of play.

The feature of the day’s play was excellent bowling by PTV’s Razaullah, who returned figures of 20-4-73-5, while his new-ball partner Khan Zeb picked up 3-86. For Sahir Associates, Mohammad Mohsin scored 66, while Arafat Minhas (49) and Amad Butt (44) were the other notable run-scorers.

Scores in brief (day 1 of 4, round 7)

KRL v Ghani Glass, KCCA Stadium. Toss: KRL

KRL 189 all-out, 61.1 overs (Hamza Nazar 71, Waqar Ahmed 35, Aqib Shah 30; Sameen Gul 6-42, Ali Shabbir 2-62)

Ghani Glass 45-2

Sahir Associates v PTV, Oval Academy Ground. Toss: Sahir Associates

Sahir Associates 267 all-out, 60.3 overs (Mohammad Mohsin 66, Arafat Minhas 49, Amad Butt 44, Taimur Khan 25; Razaullah 5-73, Khan Zaib 3-86)

PTV 60-1 (Asim Ali Nasir 30 not out)

SNGPL v OGDCL, UBL Sports Complex, OGDCL

SNGPL 182 all-out, 66.2 overs (Mubasir Khan 52, Azan Awais 23, Omair Bin Yousuf 23, Mohammad Rizwan 22, Aamir Jamal 20; Asif Afridi 6-71, Danish Aziz 2-32, Mohammad Amir Khan 2-49)

OGDCL 63-2, 21 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 36 not out, Maaz Sadaqat 25)

WAPDA v SBP, State Bank Stadium. Toss: WAPDA

SBP 394 all-out, 83.1 overs (Rameez Aziz 145, Abdullah Fazal 72, Qasim Akram 45, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori 30, Shahid Aziz 25; Naqeebullah 3-38, Khalid Usman 3-76, Mujtaba Khan 2-86)

WAPDA 0-0, 2 overs