KARACHI: Former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt led from the front with a workmanlike century as Wapda gained slight advantage against Habib Bank Limited on day two of the Quaidi-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship final here on Sunday.

Replying to the bankers` firstinnings tally of 236, Wapda frittered a solid opening partnership on a National Stadium pitch which has gradually become flat after Saturday`s dramatic start when HBL made a gallant comeback from the despair of 21-6 af ter being put into bat.

When stumps were drawn for the night, Wapda were just eight runs in front at 244-5 with Kamran Akmal (27) and Khalid Usman (7) at the crease Not for the first time in this championship, Wapda will be counting on Kamran`s red-hot form with bat to give them not only a big enough lead to put HBL under pressure but also avoiding a substantial fourth-innings chase.

After toiling manfully in the first two sessions, HBL clawed back into contention with three crucialwicketsin the post-dinner period of play as teams headed towards Monday`s rest day a national holiday marking the Eid Milad un-Nabi celebrations with the match tantalizing poised.

And with the pitch set to remain under covers all day on Monday, it may also make the game interesting as HBL will have the benefit of a second new ball which is only a few overs old.

However, Sunday belonged to a man who was implicated and punished in the infamous spotfixing episode during the Lord`s Test of the 2006 England tour.

Salman`s return to first-class arena has been fruitful as the lef t-hander bids to wear Pakistan colours again.

The Wapda captain batted with a sense of purpose in front of the entire national selection committee. Chief selector Inzamamul-Haq and members Tauseef Ahmed, Wajahatullah Wasti and Wasim Haider must have been impressed by the way Salmanwent about his job.

The 32-year-old couldn`t have picked a better opportunity to celebrate his 100th first-class match by registering century number 20 in the televised titledeciding fixture after laying the foundation in the company of Adnan Raees.

The two lef t-handers batted incontrasting styles. While Salman, with his trademark bottom-hand mode, took on the run-making responsibility, Adnan dropped anchor before HBL finally managed to separate the pair in the 58thovertheyhadputon162.

After being guilty of not finding the radar, Usman Khan Shinwari produced a brilliantdelivery from round the wicket.

The angle deceived Adnan and the resultant push found the edge to Imran Farhat who made no mistake in the slips.

Until that error in judgment, Adnan, having watched his captain get to the three-figure landmark, hardly made a mistake as he consumed 170 balls to make 50 that featured six boundaries.

Mohammad Saad, the new batsman, lasted only 17 balls, before being run out for hve.

Seasoned campaigner Aamir Sajjad joined Salman but after making 14 from 53 deliveries the temptation of taking on part-time seam bowling of Rameez Aziz led to his demise with wicket-keeper Jamal Anwar holding the topedged stroke aimed over mid-on nicely by running on the pitch.

HBL then grabbed their fourth wicket in totally unexpected circumstances when the well-set Salman took unwisely took a chance on a good throw from Shinwari when Kamran pushed one into the cover.

The tragic run out of Salman for a compact 125 off 234 balls with the aid of 18 boundaries was followed by another wicket when Zahid Mansoor (4) misjudged a straight ball from seamer Amad Butt and watched in disgust as it hit the off-stump.

The dismissal of Zahid stillleft Wapda behind HBL`s score by five runs at that point in time to leave the match well poised with an interesting day three in store come Tuesday.