Pakistan slow and steady

It was the calm after the storm.

After the first test ended in frenetic fashion, the start of the second cricket test between Pakistan and New Zealand was a soporific one.

At stumps on day one in Dubai, Pakistan were 207-4 with Haris Sohail 81 not out.

Sohail’s 81 came from 240 balls as Pakistan’s batsmen may have operated over-cautiously under the shadow of their catastrophic collapse in the first test finale at Abu Dhabi.

Yet they still found a way to lose a couple of wickets to stupidity as New Zealand’s patience and persistence paid off.

After having Imam-ul-Haq dropped by Tom Latham at second slip in the fourth over, Colin de Grandhomme snared Mohammad Hafeez when Latham picked up a low chance and Imam followed soon after to the same combination.

New Zealand’s claim to early dominance went missing when Azhar Ali edged the second ball he faced between wicketkeeper BJ Watling and first slip Ross Taylor to the boundary.

The right-hander battled to make New Zealand pay, getting to 81 off 187 balls before another horror run-out Pakistan seem to specialise in.

Azhar drove Ajaz Patel to deep mid-off and set off for a single but was turned back halfway by a hesitant Haris Sohail. Tim Southee’s throw and Watling’s dive to demolish the stumps caught a furious Azhar short.