LAHORE: Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Lahore Whites, Peshawar and Rawalpindi recorded victories in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy third-round matches on Saturday while the three group C fixtures saw little play due to bad light.

Bahawalpur beat Multan by 78 runs in a group B match at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Waseem Akram Jr claimed 5-38 as Bahawalpur were bundled out for 70 but prevailed thanks to their first-innings lead of 150 runs as Multan collapsed for 142. Bahawalpur bowlers Mohammad Imran (4-31), Mehran Sanwal (3-36) and Gulfam Aziz (2-33) combined to steer their side to victory.

Abbottabad comfortably beat Larkana by ten wickets in their group A fixture at the National Ground in Islamabad to register their second win of the tournament. Abbottabad chased down a scanty 19-run target without losing a wicket.

Larkana, who were 38 runs behind at the start of the day, slipped to 186 all out from 130-5 as Abbottabad`s Agib Khan bagged 5-39.

At the Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad, Lahore Whites beat Islamabad by five wickets in another group A game.

The home team successfully chased the 109-run target with five wickets in hand after recovering from 54-5. Lahore Whites wrapped up Islamabad`s second innings for 155 after they resumed at the overnight score of 129-8. Lahore Whites` Ahmed Daniyal (5-34) bagged his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

In group B, Rawalpindi registered their second consecutive victory in the country`s premier firstclass tournament when they beat Karachi Whites by nine wickets at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

After Rawalpindi gained a 53-run lead in the first innings, their pacer Mohammad Awais Anwar claimed 5-23 to dismiss Karachi Whites for a paltry 74. Rawalpindi cruised to the 22-run target for the loss of only one wicket.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) suffered their third successive loss in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy when Peshawar thumped them by nine wickets in a Group B match at the Ashfaq Cricket Ground Sirdheri in Charsadda.

AJK could only add 71 runs to their overnight second innings score of 100-1 as they slumped to 171 all out. Test spinner Sajid Khan took four wickets for 33 runs to take his match tally to 9-85.

Half-centuries from openers Maaz Sadagat (58 not out) and Waqar Ahmed (57) helped Peshawar knock off the 130-run target in 25.5 overs.

Only 40 overs of play was possible at the Saeed Sports City Bedian in Lahore where Quetta were reduced to 92-8 in their second innings against Lahore Blues in their group C clash.

For Lahore Blues Mohammad Abbas (4-43) and Nisar Ahmed (3-30) shared seven wickets among them. Quetta are just 43 runs ahead.

Only ten overs could be bowled at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan which allowed Karachi Blues` opener Abdullah Fazal to reach his maiden first-class century in the group C match against Fata.

Karachi Blues in their first innings progressed 221-5 to 251-8 when bad light forced early close of play as Abdullah remained 122 not out after resuming at his overnight score of 96.

At the Rana Naved-ul-Hasan Academy ground in Sheikhupura, only 25.1 overs were bowled by Dera Murad Jamali against Sialkot in their group C game before bad light led to an early close.

After resuming their first innings at 370-5, Sialkot were bowled out for 451 with captain Danish Aziz claiming five wickets for 98. Dera Murad Jamali in their first innings, were 25-3 when play ended for the day. They trailed by 426 runs.-Sports Reporter