(Reuters) – Sarfraz Ahmed struck a defiant century and Pakistan’s spinners wrecked New Zealand’s top and middle order to leave the second test in Dubai nicely poised yesterday.
New Zealand had reduced Pakistan to 287 for eight to appear on course for a healthy first innings lead but Sarfraz (112) added 81 runs for the last wicket with Rahat Ali to dash their hopes.
By the time New Zealand got the better of Sarfraz’s grit, Pakistan had posted 393 runs, finishing 10 behind New Zealand in their first innings.
Batting a second time, New Zealand suffered a top order collapse to finish day four on 167 for six.
The Kiwis have an overall lead of 177 and Ross Taylor (77) and the scoreless Mark Craig will return today to stretch it and set Pakistan a difficult target.
Brendon McCullum (45) gave New Zealand a breezy start in the second innings before Yasir Shah and spin partner Zulfiqar Babar took over claiming three wickets apiece.
Leg-spinner Shah drew first blood dismissing the in-form Tom Latham for nine and left-arm spinner Babar dismissed Kane Williamson and McCullum to peg back the Kiwis.
Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham and BJ Watling also succumbed to spin and only Taylor looked confident against the slow bowlers.
It was quite different from the way New Zealand began the day with Tim Southee’s double strike reducing Pakistan, who resumed on 281 for six, to 287 for eight in the morning session.
Realising he was running out of partners, Sarfraz accelerated, hitting two fours in a Trent Boult over and was undaunted even after losing Babar at the other end.
Sarfraz hit off-spinner Mark Craig for three boundaries in an over and meted out the same treatment to leg-spinner Ish Sodhi in the next over to storm into the 90s.
The wicketkeeper-batsman cut Southee past gully for a boundary to register his third test century and broke into an animated celebration which ended with the batsman kissing the turf.
Sarfraz’s patient 195-ball knock, which included 16 boundaries, came to an end two overs after the lunch break when he offered a return catch to McCullum. It was the Kiwi skipper’s first test wicket as a bowler.
Scoreboard
New Zealand 1st innings 403
(T. Latham 137; Z. Babar 4-137)
Pakistan 1st innings (Overnight: 281-6)
S. Masood b Sodhi 13
T. Umar st Watling b Craig 16
Az. Ali b Sodhi 75
Y. Khan c Craig b Neesham 72
Misbah-ul-Haq c Taylor b Boult 28
A. Shafiq c Taylor b Southee 44
S. Ahmed c&b B. McCullum 112
Y. Shah c Watling b Southee 2
E. Adil lbw b Southee 0
Z. Babar c Watling b Boult 5
R. Ali not out 16 Extras (b-7 lb-2 nb-1) 10
Total (all out, 147 overs) 393
Fall of wickets: 1-28 S. Masood,2-32 T. Umar,3-145 Y. Khan,4-195 Misbah-ul-Haq,5-220 Az. Ali,6-279 A. Shafiq,7-285 Y. Shah,8-287 E. Adil,9-312 Z. Babar,10-393 S. Ahmed
Bowling T. Boult 30 – 8 – 69 – 2(nb-1) T. Southee 30 – 5 – 67 – 3 M. Craig 28 – 5 – 117 – 1 I. Sodhi 39 – 9 – 92 – 2 C. Anderson 7 – 0 – 26 – 0 J. Neesham 11 – 2 – 12 – 1 B. McCullum 2 – 1 – 1 – 1
New Zealand 2nd innings
T. Latham c Shafiq b Shah 9
B. McCullum lbw b Babar 45
K. Williamson c Umar b Babar 11
R. Taylor not out 77
C. Anderson b Shah 0
J. Neesham b Babar 11
B. Watling c Shafiq b Shah 11
M. Craig not out 0
Extras (lb-3) 3
Total (for 6 wickets, 48.2 overs) 167
Fall of wickets: 1-42 T. Latham,2-63 K. Williamson,3-78 B. McCullum,4-79 C. Anderson,5-125 J. Neesham,6-166 B. Watling To bat: T. Southee, I. Sodhi, T. Boult
Bowling: Az. Ali 4 – 0 – 19 – 0 E. Adil 5 – 1 – 20 – 0 Z. Babar 21.2 – 5 – 60 – 3 Y. Shah 18 – 1 – 65 – 3
Referees Umpire: Ranmor Martinesz
Umpire: Paul Reiffel TV umpire: Rod Tucker Match referee: Andy Pycroft
