NZ fight back after Boult’s four
ABU DHABI: New Zealand came back strongly by dismissing Pakistan for 227 and curtailing its opponents’ lead to 74 runs on the second day of the first Test on Saturday.
New Zealand recovered from Tom Latham’s first-ball dismissal to reach 56-1 in its second innings at stumps, trailing by just 18 runs.
Captain Kane Williamson, who scored a fighting half century in New Zealand’s first-innings score of 153, was batting on 27. Jeet Raval was unbeaten on 26 as both batsmen batted resolutely against seamer Mohammad Abbas and leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
Earlier, fast bowler Trent Boult (4/54) and debutant spinner Ajaz Patel (2/64) limited Pakistan’s lead after Pakistan resumed on overnight 59/2.
Boult broke the two half century stands on either side of the first two sessions and Patel took his both wickets in quick succession after lunch before Pakistan was bowled out soon after tea.
Babar Azam (62) was the only batsman to hit a half century before he was the last man to be dismissed, caught low down the leg side by diving wicketkeeper B.J. Watling which gave Boult his fourth wicket.
Neil Wagner (1/30) was also rewarded for his steady bowling as the left-arm seamer had Yasir Shah (9) caught behind just before tea for his 150th Test wicket.
Pakistan batsmen struggled against Boult’s swing and some tight bowling by Patel, the leftarm spinner. Boult, also the leftarmer, broke the 83-run fourthwicket stand between Asad Shafiq (43) and Azam when he had Shafiq’s offstump uprooted after lunch.
Patel then lured Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed (2) into his favorite sweep shot and had him caught at backward square leg before Watling did smart stumping to remove Bilal Asif (11).
From 173/4, Pakistan lost six wickets for 64 runs but still gained a 74-run first innings lead.
New Zealand had an early setback in their second innings when fast bowler Hasan Ali sent Latham’s offstump cartwheeling off his very first delivery before Williamson and Raval batted solidly and narrowed down the Pakistan lead.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 153 & 56/1 (Kane Williamson 27*; Hasan Ali 1/12) trail Pakistan 227 (Babar Azam 62; Trent Boult 4/54) by 18 runs.