Date-stamped : 09 Mar97 - 22:26 Karachi `B` turn tables on NBP to tumble out PNSC By Samiul Hasan KARACHI, Feb. 20: A disciplined but magnificent team effort by Karachi Bl ues helped them prevail over National Bank and finish as Group A leaders of the 16th National One-day Championship. Karachi Blues were almost pinned down after National Bank had set them a daunting target of 268 to win in 50 overs at a slow De- fence Stadium wicket and earn a trip to Lahore for the second round. But a superlative all-team effort in the afternoon before a handsome crowd, helped the determined Karachi boys to achieve the target in 48.3 overs with three wickets standing and all the batsmen making even contributions with the bats. Karachi`s victory left the three teams tied at four points each after two wins from three matches. Karachi topped as leaders with a run-rate of 5.47 while National Bank managed to sneak just ahead of PNSC`s run-rate of 4.56 by 0.09 when they scored 268 for seven. NBP, before the start of the match, had required 251 runs to overhaul PNSC run-rate in case they were beaten at the end of the day. NBP`s initial task looked difficult when they were 218 for seven in 45 ov ers needing another 33 in five overs to assure them- selves a second round bert h irrespective of the result. But Mo- hammad Javed and Athar Laiq cut Karachi bowling to size when they collected 50 runs to not only assure themselves a second round place but also enhanced PNSC`s chances of quali- fication. Javed hammered eight scorching boundaries and a six in his un- beaten 48-ba ll 62 while Athar Laiq finished at a run-a-ball 21 with two fours after Saji d Ali had scored a brisk 46 with six boundaries and a six from 37 balls. Nevertheless, Karachi boys had different ideas. They were simply brilliant with the willows hitting boundaries in gaps with perfect execution. They were in- telligent as well when they kept their cool under difficult con- ditions to keep the scoreboard moving with nudges and pushes. Their running between the wickets was spectacular when they con- verted ones into twos by sprinting for the first run to bring the fielders under pressure. After Shahid Khan Afridi, Mansoor Khan and Mohammad Farrukh had done all the spade work from the top order by putting on 120 runs in 20 overs, lanky allrounder Shahid Iqbal at No 9 gave final touches by hitting a much-needed 26 from 13 balls with the aid of a boundary and two sixes. The real turning point of the match was when in the 44th over of the innings, Shahid Iqbal hit Naeem Khan for 16 runs that dropped the required runs from 41 in 36 balls to 25 in 30 balls. Shahid, together with Arif Mahmood, never looked back when he hit Salman Fazal for another nine runs in the next over as the target came further down to 16 runs in 24 balls. The remaining runs came in the next 15 balls as Karachi officials came out running in jubilation to congratulate Arif Mahmood and Shahid Iqbal in particular. Nevertheless, it was 16-year-old sensation Shahid Khan Afridi who had set the pace for a likely victory when he reduced the National Bank bowling to village bowling by hitting it to all parts of the field. Shahid Afridi, named Man-of-the-Match, appeared in a mood to re- peat his innings he played in Kenya when he blasted eight bound- aries in his brief knock of 44 from 22 balls to give Karachi a flying start of 58 in six ove rs. Mansoor Khan, together with Mohammad Farrukh, continued the mo- mentum to take the score to 116 in 16 overs before an over ambi- tious reverse sweep shot attempt ended Mansoor`s attacking in- nings of a run-a-ball 37 with two fours and a towering six off Mohammad Javed over square-leg. From 116 for two, Karachi slumped to 144 for four in 23 overs. Mohammad Farrukh was first to go at 120 and Iqbal Salim was the other to fall at 144 before Asim Rizvi (29) and Irfanullah held the innings together to share in a 50-run partnership that was though void of any boundary, was an extremely valuable that kept the wickets intact and also made the scoreboard moving no matter not at the rate set by the top three batsmen. Not only the players deserve credit and appreciation, the team management also merit a pad on the back for taking as big a gam- ble as enforcing thre e changes in the team in the crunch match. They brought in Pakistan Under-19 batsman Mohammad Farrukh, batsman Irfanullah and spinner Mohtashim Rasheed in match as crucial as this one which was a must-win one. The changes wored tremendously well as Mohtashim Rasheed, earlier in the day, emerged as ho me team`s outstanding bowler with three wickets for 39 runs from 10 overs; Farrukh displayed guts and promise while scoring a 43-ball 35 with six punishing boundaries and Irfanullah chipped in with a useful 25 from 37 balls. National Bank appeared a bundle of nerves despite the fact that they had qualified for the second round after improving their run-rate. The fielding was poor (three catches dropped and num- ber of extra runs conceded) and the bowling was pathetic barring Naeem Tayyab (two for 34 from 10 overs). Skipper Shahid Anwar was also unimpressive as he failed to properly utilise his bowlers who without any doubt are good enough to perform at any level. Source :: The Dawn (http://www.xiber.com/dawn) Contributed by Vishwa ( vg@cricinfo.com )