Fired up Southee creates havoc in Pakistan ranks

Tim Southee captured three quick wickets to put New Zealand in a commanding position in the second Test against Pakistan on Saturday.

Neil Wagner also bagged two wickets as Pakistan collapsed to 76 for five at stumps on day two, still 195 runs behind New Zealand's first innings total of 271.

Babar Azam was not out 34 at the close of play at Hamilton's Seddon Park with Sarfraz Ahmed unbeaten on nine.

New Zealand, chasing their first series win over Pakistan in 31 years, had been in trouble at 5-119 before BJ Watling's 49 not out anchored a tail-end revival that lifted the home team to a competitive total.

"We could have been bowled out for 200-210," said Watling after coaxing the tail order to extend the innings as long as possible on a wicket offering encouragement to the seamers.

"I enjoy batting with the tail. It can be a challenge sometimes. you have to try and keep them as focused as they can but you just try to eke out as many runs as you can."

But what the non-recognised New Zealand batsmen achieved, the Pakistan top order failed to do as Southee enticed them into making a string of rash shots, seaming the ball away with a mixture of short and full-length deliveries.

In his third over, the New Zealand quickly removed opener Sami Aslam for five and Azhar Ali for one. Then, in his fifth over, he dismissed the veteran Younis Khan for two as Pakistan slumped to 12-3.

Azam and Shafiq briefly steadied the innings with a 39-run partnership before Wagner's double strike.

(overnight 77-2; J. Raval 35 not out, R. Taylor 29 not out) J. Raval c Rizwan b Imran .................................. 55 T. Latham c Aslam b Amir .................................... 0 K. Williamson c Ahmed b Sohail ....................... 13 R. Taylor c Ahmed b Sohail ................................ 37 H. Nicholls c Ahmed b Riaz ................................ 13 C. de Grandhomme c Ahmed b Imran ............... 37 B. Watling not out .............................................. 49 M. Santner c Younis b Sohail ............................. 16 T. Southee b Sohail............................................. 29 M. Henry c Sohail b Amir ................................... 15 N. Wagner c Younis b Imran ................................ 1

(w5, nb1) ................................................ 6 (all out; 83.4 overs) ................................ 271

1-5 (Latham), 2-39 (Williamson), 3-90 (Taylor). 4-113 (Raval), 5-119 (Nicholls), 6-170 (de Grandhomme), 7-203 (Santner), 8-239 (Southee), 9-270 (Henry), 10-271 (Wagner)

Amir 19-2-59-2, Sohail 25-6-99-4, Imran 20.4-5-52-3 (1nb), Riaz 18-4-57-1 (1w), Azhar 1-04-0 Sami Aslam c Raval b Southee............................ 5 Azhar Ali c Watling b Southee ............................. 1 Babar Azam not out ........................................... 34 Younis Khan c Watling b Southee ........................ 2 Asad Shafiq b Wagner ....................................... 23 Mohammad Rizwan c Henry b Wagner .............. 0 Sarfraz Ahmed not out ......................................... 9

(lb1, nb1) ................................................. 2 (five wkts; 29 overs) ................................ 76 To bat: Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Sohail Khan, Imran Khan

1-7 (Aslam), 2-8 (Azhar), 3-12 (Younis), 4-51 (Shafiq), 5-51 (Rizwan)

Southee 11-3-26-3, Henry 9-2-13-0 (1nb), de Grandhomme 4-2-21-0, Wagner 5-1-15-2

Pakistan