(Reuters) – Pakistan are two wickets away from a comprehensive victory over New Zealand in the first test after the tourists slumped to 174-8 in their second innings at stumps on the fourth day in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
After their first-innings run feast of 566-3, Pakistan declared their second innings at 175-2 to set New Zealand a nominal 480-run victory target in the first match of the three-test series.
Openers Brendon McCullum (39) and Tom Latham (20) made a bright start before Pakistani spinners Yasir Shah (2-49) and Zulfiqar Babar (2-30) wrecked their top order.
The only possible consolation for New Zealand is that they were not beaten inside four days.
The contest could have been over yesterday but Mark Craig and Ish Sodhi, both unbeaten on 27, showed the kind of fighting spirit that was lacking in some of their team mates.
They will return at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium today hoping to delay an imminent defeat.
Earlier, Pakistan declared their second stint in the middle as soon as opener Mohammad Hafeez (101 not out) brought up his sixth test century.
This was the fifth successive occasion when Pakistan declared their innings, underlining their new-found batting depth on the slow, turning pitches in the United Arab Emirates.
Hafeez, who fell four runs short of his hundred in the first innings, made amends in the second and celebrated the landmark by kissing the turf.
His unbeaten 130-ball knock included 12 fours and two sixes in it.
Younus Khan (28), who has recorded three centuries and a double ton in his last five innings, was trapped leg before by leg-spinner Sodhi, who had earlier dis missed Azhar Ali (23) in similar fashion.
McCullum and Latham, who scored his maiden test century in the first innings, added 57 runs for the opening stand before Pakistan’s slow bowlers took over.
Yasir sprinted to take a diving catch off left-armb spinner Babar to dismiss Latham before the leg-spinner trapped McCullum leg before to jolt New Zealand.
Ross Taylor became Yasir’s second victim of the innings, departing in the same fashion at the stroke of tea.
Once Kane Williamson (23) fell to Hafeez in the day’s final session, New Zealand’s middle order also caved in with left-arm paceman Rahat Ali dismissing Jimmy Neesham and BJ Watling off successive deliveries.
Scoreboard
Pakistan 1st innings 566 for 3 decl (A. Shehzad 176, Misbah-ul-Haq 102 n.o, Y. Khan 100 n.o, M. Hafeez 96, A. Ali 87)
New Zealand 1st innings 262 (T. Latham 103; R. Ali 4-22)
Pakistan 2nd innings
M. Hafeez not out 101
Az. Ali lbw b Sodhi 23
Y. Khan lbw b Sodhi 28
A. Shehzad not out 13
Extras (b-6 lb-2 w-2) 10
Total (for 2 wickets declared, 39.2 overs) 175
Fall of wickets: 1-69 Az. Ali,2-139 Y. Khan Did not bat: Misbah-ul-Haq, A. Shafiq, S. Ahmed, Y. Shah, Z. Babar, R. Ali, I. Khan Bowling T. Boult 7 – 2 – 25 – 0(w-2) T. Southee 9 – 0 – 33 – 0 I. Sodhi 13 – 1 – 66 – 2 C. Anderson 5 – 1 – 11 – 0 M. Craig 5 – 0 – 29 – 0 B. McCullum 0.2 – 0 – 3 – 0
New Zealand 2nd innings (Target: 480 runs)
T. Latham c Shah b Babar 20
B. McCullum lbw b Shah 39
K. Williamson st S. Ahmed b Hafeez 23
R. Taylor lbw b Shah 8
C. Anderson lbw b I. Khan 23
J. Neesham c S. Ahmed b R. Ali 0
B. Watling b R. Ali 0
M. Craig not out 27
T. Southee b Babar 5
I. Sodhi not out 27
Extras (lb-2) 2
Total (for 8 wickets, 54 overs) 174
Fall of wickets: 1-57 T. Latham,2-61 B. McCullum,3-69 R. Taylor,4-111 K. Williamson,5-112 J. Neesham,6-112 B. Watling,7-121 C. Anderson,8-138 T. Southee To bat: T. Boult Bowling R. Ali 9 – 1 – 38 – 2 I. Khan 7 – 0 – 34 – 1 Z. Babar 18 – 6 – 30 – 2 Y. Shah 13 – 1 – 49 – 2 M. Hafeez 7 – 0 – 21 – 1 Referees Umpire: Ranmor Martinesz Umpire: Rod Tucker TV umpire: Paul Reiffel Match referee: Andy Pycroft
