WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Paceman Kyle Jamieson took five for 69 as New Zealand overcame some stiff Pakistan resistance to dismiss the tourists for 297 at close of play on the opening day of the second and final test at Christchurch yesterday.
Already 1-0 up in the series and needing only a draw to rise to the top of the world rankings for the first time, the Black Caps won the toss and elected to field on what looked like a Hagley Oval track tailor-made for their attack.
Pakistan had shown great fight at the end of their 101-run defeat in the first test, however, and started out as they had finished at Mount Maunganui with some batting of real intent on a day largely uninterrupted by the Christchurch rain.
Azhar Ali led the way with a superb innings of 93 but there were also cameos from Mohammad Rizwan, who was again forced to stand-in as captain for the injured Babar Azam and scored 61, as well as Faheem Ashraf, who hit 48.
Left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar extended the tail with a 62-ball 34 in his first test innings until he top edged a short delivery from Tim Southee just after New Zealand took the second new ball.
The hosts rattled off the last two wickets in short order to bring up stumps, giving New Zealand’s openers the night to rest up before going out again to bat.
Given the swing and seam in the pitch, New Zealand’s attack would have hoped to have got the job done more quickly and it looked like they would when Jamieson ripped through the Pakistan top order to reduce the tourists to 88-4 at lunch.
Bowling with real venom and bounce, the 26-year-old sent back opener Abid Ali, Haris Sohail and Fawad Alam in three overs, the latter with an unplayable delivery that the batsman could only fend away from his helmet with his glove.
Azhar Ali and Rizwan stalled the New Zealand attack with a partnership of 88 for the fifth wicket during which the stand-in skipper secured his fifth consecutive half century before edging a Jamieson delivery behind.
Seamer Matt Henry, brought in to replace the injured Neil Wagner, finally winkled out Azhar Ali in the final session before Faheem Ashraf departed to give Jamieson his third five-wicket haul in six tests.
