Date-stamped : 02 Nov97 - 06:29 Day 2 report Karachi Blues gain upperhand over Whites By Our Sports Reporter KARACHI, Nov 1: Karachi Blues batted and bowled themselves into an impregnable position against Karachi Whites on the second day of the four-day Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship match at Asghar Ali Shah Stadium here on Saturday. The Blues gained a vital 64-run lead on the first innings and then claimed four Whites second innings scalps for 77 by stumps. The Whites will be depending greatly on 15-year-old Hasan Raza on Sunday if they are to extend their meagre 13-run lead into something that would give their bowlers a chance to put pressure on the Blues. However, it seems much likely that the match may end by Sunday afternoon in favour of the Blues. Earlier, the Blues were rescued by a fine partnership between debutante left-handers Asim Kamal and Rizwan Qureshi. The pair added 99 for the sixth-wicket after the Blues had collapsed to 96 for five. Asim, who was 17 overnight, batted superbly and was unlucky not to reach a maiden-first hundred by only 19 runs. The youngster reached his 50 in 150 minutes off 141 balls with four fours and finally went after facing 232 balls in a stay of 257 minutes (7 fours and a six). Allrounder Rizwan made a fine 57 in exactly two hours off 111 balls (four fours and a six) after completing his 50 in 106 minutes off 101 balls. For the Whites, medium-pacer Kashif Ibrahim bowled with hostility to pick up five for 63 while 39-year-old Iqbal Sikander ended with two for 57. Day 3 report Karachi Blues set to win By Our Sports Reporter KARACHI, Nov 2: Karachi Whites bowlers face an uphill task to prevent Karachi Blues from chalking up their second win this season when play begins on the final day of the four-day Quaid-i- Azam Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship match at Asghar Ali Shah Stadium here on Monday. At stumps on the penultimate day, the Blues had reached 13 without loss in their quest for 228 for an outright victory after Karachi Whites' lower-order had batted with great determination on Sunday. There was every chance of the match finishing on Sunday itself with the Whites in considerable trouble at 77 for four in their second knock and holding a meagre lead of 13 runs. However, dogged resistance Nasir Ali Khan, Iqbal Sikander, Muhammad Shakeel, Adnan Malik and Asim Zaidi extended that lead to over 220-run mark. Nightwatchman Adnan Malik displayed tremendous concentration to dig out his side after Hasan Raza had added only 15 more to his overnight score of 28 before falling to Muhammad Hasnain leg-before-wicket for the second time in the match. Adnan, though making only 19 off 132 balls, was dismissed after lunch after a stay of 165 minutes. Nasir batted for 157 minutes for his 115-ball 47 and Iqbal Sikander hit 41 off 75 deliveries with the help of three sixes and as many fours. Day 4 report Karachi B record easy win over Whites By Our Sports Reporter KARACHI, Nov 3: Karachi Blues romped to an easy eight-wicket victory over Karachi Whites on the final day of the four-day Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-I National Cricket Championship match at Asghar Ali Shah Stadium here on Monday. In fact, the Blues took just 170 minutes after resuming at 13 for no loss in pursuit of a target of 228. The match finally ended some 50 minutes after the lunch interval. After the openers, Kashif Ahmed and skipper Shadab Kabir, had given the Blues a rollicking start by putting on 105 in only 96 minutes, it was left to Azam Khan to complete the job with Kashif giving him excellent support. The left-handed Shadab left after scoring a 75-ball 54, which included seven fours and two sixes. He was immediately followed by Kamran Hussain, who was unluckily run out for a duck at the same score. But Azam, who played a Test against Zimbabwe last season, completely dominated the unbroken third-wicket stand of 125 in just 84 minutes. Kashif, who was on 33 when Azam joined him, played the sheet-anchor role perfectly. He batted in all for 185 minutes and faced 161 deliveries and hit six fours, having reached 50 in 145 minutes off 121 balls with the aid of five boundaries. Azam collared the Whites bowlers, which included part-timers Hasan Raza, Ahmer Saeed and Muhammad Farrukh, to all corners of the field. He faced just 52 balls to reach his 50 in 46 minutes that included seven fours and two sixes. Overall, he smashed 11 fours and three sixes in his 79-ball knock. Karachi Blues, who have now 24 points with this second win, will face Rawalpindi at KRL Stadium (Rawalpindi) in the next round of matches beginning from Nov 7, while the Whites meet Islamabad here at National Stadium. Source:: Dawn (http://dawn.com/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)