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Misbah-ul-Haq hammered a remarkable unbeaten knock of 134 as Sargodha drew their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Grade-I Cricket Championship match against Karachi Blues at the UBL Sports Complex here on Thursday.

The result was a bitter blow for Karachi Blues who are striving to avoid the embarrassment of being demoted to Grade-II next season. With just one round of matches remaining, the relegation battle is a three-horse race between Karachi Blues, Sheikhupura and Islamabad.

Sargodha, who resumed at their overnight score of 54 for two, were 270 for five when the match was called off after the 10th mandatory over. Karachi Blues made 445 in the first innings for a lead of 265.

Karachi Blues, it seems, were taken for granted that the visiting side would crumble under pressure on a last day pitch. But instead the home team was left licking its wounds in the face of a match-saving sixth wicket partnership of 144 in 191 minutes between Misbah and Haroon Rahim (51).

As it turned out, Sargodha deserve all praise for a fine rearguard action. Misbah, an upright 26-year-old right-hander, continued his excellent form with his fourth century that makes him the leading batsman of the season with 932 runs (ave 66.57) in nine matches.

Skipper Naved Latif also played a significant hand by hanging around for 99 minutes this morning before he went for 38. Misbah, unperturbed by the loss of two further wickets, found a reliable ally in Haroon Rahim. The pair batted for the rest of the day without ever looking in trouble against either pace or spin.

Misbah duly reached his fifth first-class hundred in 265 minutes off as many balls with the aid of 13 fours and three sixes - all off Tabish Nawab. In all, he batted for 344 minutes, faced 345 deliveries and slammed 17 fours.

Haroon Rahim, who faced 173 balls, struck five boundaries.

Several factors contributed behind Karachi Blues' failure to notch up their second win of the season. They virtually allowed Sargodha to make 180 in the first innings after reducing them to 67 for seven an hour into the afternoon session on day one.

Then, having obtained a sizable lead of 149 by lunch on the third day, the first innings was extended until tea to allow Faisal Iqbal the personal glory of scoring a double century. These were strange tactics from a side who was desperate for victory. Their bowling was pedestrian as it lacked penetration and failed to entice the batsmen making mistakes.

The only time Karachi Blues looked like winning was when off-spinner Tabish Nawab claimed three wickets for two runs in six deliveries to leave Sargodha in dire straits at 126 for five 17 minutes before lunch on the final day.

Even the second new ball, taken after 82 overs, proved ineffective.

© Dawn