Thai teenager Chinarat Phadungsil brilliantly snatched the clubhouse lead with a second round five-under-par 67 before a lightning storm hit the Maybank Malaysian Open on Friday.

The 18-year-old, already a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, struck seven birdies against two bogeys at Saujana Golf and Country Club to give himself a chance at fast-tracking his burgeoning career.

Asian specialist Simon Dyson of England, who has won four times in the region including the Order of Merit title in 2000, bolted into contention with a 68 to lie two behind. Tied with him in second place is compatriot Marcus Higley (67) and Finland's Mikko Ilonen (70) in the US$1.29 million Championship jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

India's Jeev Milkha Singh, the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit champion last year, fired a second straight 71 while last week's Philippine Open winner Frankie Minoza carded a 70 as they were both stood at five off the lead.

Players were called off the course at 4.50pm when a lightning storm hit Saujana and officials later abandoned play for the rest of the day. All the 78 players in the afternoon session will return Saturday, 8am to complete their second rounds, with the third round expected to begin no earlier than 11.15am.

Chinarat, a former world junior amateur champion, hopes to emulate compatriot Thongchai Jaidee, who won in Saujana in 2004 and 2005. "I hit it so good today. All my shots worked out quite nicely except for my putting which was average. However, most of my birdies were from close range and the only long putt that I had was on the fourth hole (he started from the 10th tee) from 20 feet," said Chinarat.

The power-packed Thai rose to prominence in 2005 when he became the youngest winner in Asia at the age of 17 following his triumph in the Double A International Open on home soil while still an amateur. After turning professional soon after, he secured a second Asian Tour title at the Crowne Plaza Open in China last August.

"I have good memories of playing in Malaysia as it was here that I made my first cut as a professional in last year's event and I finished tied sixth. However, I don't really enjoy this course as it's tough. Even if you hit the fairways, you're likely to have an undulating lie," he said.

Dyson, who started from the 10th, made a strong charge with an outstanding outward 30 which included four birdies and one eagle before tripping up with a double bogey on the eighth when he caught the heavy rough. Still, the Englishman was upbeat.

"After the year that I had out here (in 2000) whenever I come back I feel like I'm the one to beat. So the confidence is up. I played great the front nine but the second nine, nothing went for me," said Dyson.

Former US Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand bounced back with a 70 after an opening 75 but will enter the weekend rounds eight off the pace. "It's awfully hard to read these greens sometimes. Yesterday, I hit 14 greens and shot 75 and today I hit 17 greens and shot 70. One thing that stands out is the putting.

"Obviously I'm not here to make the cut, I'm here to win a tournament. There might still be a chance if I can shoot a couple of low rounds," said Campbell.

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, a key member of Europe's recent victories in the Ryder Cup, carded a 72, which included a double bogey on his last hole, for a two-over-par 146 total, which stood at the cut mark when play was abandoned.

Clarke, who slipped out from the world's top-10 for the first time in 10 years, is desperately looking for some Irish luck. "I played lovely all day and had a lot of really good shots but if they could finish a foot off the green or be buried in the rough, they did. It was the same as yesterday but 10 times worse today. At 15 I missed the fairway by two inches and had to chip out sideways," said Clarke.

Australian Gavin Flint produced the first albatross on this season's Asian and European Tours when he holed out his second shot with a three wood from 259 yards on the par five, 580-yard 18th hole in his round of 71.

"It was an awesome way to finish the day. You never expect it to drop in the hole but it was on line. It was the shot that I wanted to hit," said the Aussie.

Amongst those who will return to complete their second rounds on Saturday morning include Europe's Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood, who is two-over for the Championship with two holes to complete.

Thai star Thongchai Jaidee, whose two Malaysian Open triumphs were achieved at Saujana, was staring at a rare early week off after stumbling with four bogeys and one double bogey through 14 holes for a four-over-par total.

Leading second round scores
137 - Chinarat Phadungsil (THA) 70-67
139 - Simon Dyson (ENG) 71-68, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 69-70, Marcus Higley (ENG) 72-67
140 - Soren Kjeldsen (DEN) 70-70
141 - Kane Webber (AUS) 68-73
142 - Gavin Flint (AUS) 71-71, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 71-71, Frankie Minoza (PHI) 72-70, Alessandro Tadini (ITA) 70-72, Simon Yates (SCO) 73-69, Cesar Monasterio (ARG) 71-71
143 - Damien Mcgrane (IRL) 70-73, Angelo Que (PHI) 70-73, Suk Jong-yul (KOR) 71-72, Andrew Coltart (SCO) 74-69, Sam Walker (ENG) 72-71, Gary Simpson (AUS) 71-72, Kyron Sullivan (WAL) 73-70
144 - Graeme Storm (ENG) 72-72, Andrew Marshall (ENG) 75-69, Robert Rock (ENG) 66-78, Peter Hedblom (SWE) 73-71, Adam Groom (AUS) 73-71

Note: 78 players to return on Saturday, 8am to complete their second rounds.