Jamieson shines
CRICKET
THERE is a thrill unlike anything else in cricket when you watch a fast bowler on top of his game — a quick who looks like taking a wicket with every delivery.
That sense of anticipation is only heightened when the two guys charged with preventing that happening are in good touch and looking to score first, defend second.
It is a rare combination of events but for a 40minute period in the second session of the second test between New Zealand and Pakistan, that is exactly what the crowd got –— and it was pure theatre.
The day ended with Pakistan all out for 297, a satisfactory total given it was 83 for four before lunch.
Kyle Jamieson, from the Botanic Gardens End, was terrific, using his tall frame and high action to hit lengths that dared batsmen to press forward while also threatening to break fingers.
Azhar Ali and, in particular, Mohammad Rizwan were not ready to play the victims. Azhar would adroitly drop and run, his experience telling him that the nonstriker’s end was the best place to play Jamieson.
Rizwan looked to take the attack to Jamieson. He drove on the up through covers, he played and missed, he cut through point, he let the odd one go.
Jamieson eventually won the battle, Rizwan edging through to BJ Watling for 61, continuing a series in which he has passed 50 in all three knocks and has looked a class above most of those above him in the order.
Jamieson, who ended the day with five for 69, his third fivewicket bag in tests, said the conditions that both helped fast bowling and also promoted quick scoring presented a different challenge to the first test.
‘‘Things happened a little quicker in terms of the ball moving around but it also provided scoring chances for them. They put us under pressure at times but luckily we could wrap it up at the end of the day.’’
Jamieson admitted a bit of exasperation was beginning to set in as Pakistan’s best two players mixed caution with aggression and had a share of luck, too.
‘‘It was frustrating, yeah. The difference between Bay Oval and here is our natural length at Bay Oval was back [shorter] a bit so your natural variation towards something fuller and wider means they don’t score as quickly.
‘‘At grounds like this where your length needs to be fuller it does provide scoring opportunities.
‘‘It felt like we were beating the bat a lot and they were also scoring freely so that’s a tough one to get your head around.’’
In the end, Azhar’s innings ended tamely, pushing at Matt Henry and edging to Ross Taylor, but his 93 was an onpoint demonstration on how to bat in tricky conditions.
Those below them profited against the old ball. Faheem Ashraf survived a simple chance on four and went to 48 before edging Jamieson to Taylor — who was the culprit for his letoff — and Zafar Gohar on debut stroked his way to 34 before succumbing to a Tim Southee bumper in the first over of the second new ball.
Trent Boult picked up his first wicket — Shaheen Shah Afridi for four in the next over — and wrapped up the innings by having Naseem Shah snapped up by Tom Latham in the slips for a breezy 12.
The comfort level the Pakistanis had at the crease was surprising, but that was in keeping with a day that defied expectations.
For the first time this summer an opposition captain called incorrectly and the Black Caps had first use of a wicket that was green, but perhaps not as lush as expected.
Mitchell Santner’s late heroics were not enough to convince coach and captain he had a role to play as Daryl Mitchell won the allrounder slot and Henry that vacated by Neil Wagner.
As it happened, Henry had a chance to make an impact from the first ball of the match.
Shan Masood pushed to square leg, ran and was sent back but Henry missed with the opener stranded.
Shan may have been anxious to get off the mark having fallen for a duck in the second innings at Mount Maunganui and it turned out that feeling of disquiet was well founded. The eighth ball he faced was a lateswinging, toecrushing Southee yorker that created a triple indignity: it toppled Shan to the turf, it saw him given out for a duck and it encouraged a contemptible review.
Azhar and Abid Ali enjoyed a 50run stand before Abid edged Jamieson to Southee in the slips.
Haris Sohail made one before he halfleft, halfplayed and fully mucked up as the ball slid from the face of his bat to Henry Nicholls in the gully.
Firsttest centurymaker Fawad Alam then got the ball of the season to leave the visitors reeling at 83 for four.
Enter Rizwan and an engrossing battle of wills and skills.