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Karachi Whites placed themselves for a final assault after taking a commanding 347-run lead over Gujranwala on the penultimate day of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy match at the National Stadium Tuesday.

When the stumps were drawn for the day, the home team, who secured a slender 16-run first innings lead, were 331 for six and looked all set to declare their innings Wednesday morning at the overnight score.

That would leave them 83 overs to dismiss Gujranwala on a wicket which has shown signs of double pace but has still played excellently.

Three half centuries propelled Karachi Whites reach a position where they can dictate terms.

Saeed bin Nasir, who was overnight 20 in Karachi's 43 for one, scored a watchful 62 before being dismissed a stroke before lunch. His 113- ball innings included eight boundaries.

The promising youngster added 94 runs for the second wicket in 154 minutes with Ghulam Ali who contributed 43 after occupying the crease for 163 minutes. He struck six boundaries.

Mohammad Masroor, who missed his century by six runs in the first innings, chipped in with a valuable 53 that contained 11 hits to the fence. He faced 90 balls during his 107-minute knock. However, it was the innings from Imran Javed that place Karachi in a position from where it can only lose the match if they bowl and field badly. The National Bank allrounder slammed 11 boundaries and a six in his unbeaten 73 off 105 balls.

Imran, who has two centuries in the tournament, has dominated a 62-run unbroken seventh wicket partnership with Mohammad Hasnain whose contribution remains 18.

Gujranwala bowlers bowled aggressively without real reward. The figures didn't do any justice to Mubashir Nazir who bowled his heart out and made the Karachi batsmen to continuously think about. He ended wicketless from 24 overs conceding 82 runs.

Karachi's Arif Mahmood was one of Mubashir's victims he was hit on the forehead while attempting to hook an extra fast delivery. Arif, who escaped serious injury, walked off the field on his feet but was visibly shaken.

Sarfaraz Ahmed, a wrong-footed left-armer, did bulk of the bowling when he sent down 35 overs to finish with two for 111. Sarfaraz and Mubashir could have picked more wickets had they been supported by their fielders who showed greasy palms. Some of the catches also fell in no man's land.

© Dawn