Black Caps battle way to 274
ABU DHABI: New Zealand’s tailenders frustrated Pakistan before being bowled out for 274 in the first session of the third test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
Pakistan lost opener Mohammad Hafeez without scoring off Trent Boult’s fourth delivery to stutter to none for one at lunch.
BJ Watling held New Zealand together with a gritty unbeaten 77 off 250 balls as Bilal Asif took five for 65 to wrap up the innings just before lunch by claiming the three remaining wickets.
It was the offspinner’s second fivewicket haul in his five tests.
Resuming on 229 for seven, new cap Will Somerville could not add to his overnight 12 but denied Pakistan a breakthrough with his staunch defence for well over an hour.
Watling showed some aggression against the fast bowlers and completed his halfcentury off 199 balls by guiding Hasan Ali to the third man boundary.
Watling, 42 overnight, also completed 3000 test runs when he reached 66, with only four boundaries, in a determined knock of more than 51⁄2 hours as New Zealand added another 45 precious runs.
Boult provided New Zealand early success when Hafeez edged the leftarm fast bowler low to Tim Southee at second slip before Pakistan had scored.
On day one, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson scored a fighting halfcentury to rally his team to 229 for seven.
Williamson’s 89 off 176 balls was the cornerstone of New Zealand’s revival after legspinner Yasir Shah’s triple strike had left the visiting side reeling at 72 for four before lunch.
Williamson and Watling dug in well and denied Pakistan success in the middle session before the home team got three wickets after tea to check New Zealand’s progress.
Earlier, Shah had the wickets of Jeet Raval for 45 and Ross Taylor without scoring off successive deliveries before Henry Nicholls, who made one, played on to the legspinner after Williamson won the toss and elected to bat.
Shah — playing in his 33rd test match — needs two more wickets to become the quickest bowler in test history to reach 200 wickets.
Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett holds the record after taking his 200th wicket in his 36th test in 1925.
Pakistan struck early through new cap Shaheen Afridi when the leftarm fast bowler had Tom Latham lbw for four in his third over.
Onfield umpire Paul Reiffel adjudged Latham not out but Pakistan had the decision overturned through television referral as the replays showed the ball would have crashed into the middle and leg stump.