McCullum breaks record
OPENER Brendon McCullum smashed the fastest century by a New Zealand batsman to give his team an upper hand in the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah yesterday.
The Kiwi skipper completed his tenth hundred off 78 balls and went on to reach a 145-ball 153 when bad light ended play seven overs earlier with New on Zealand 249-1, a strong position and just 102 runs away from Pakistan’s first innings total of 351. Kane Williamson matched his skipper’s aggression and was unbeaten on 76which gave New Zealand a strong position to level the series which they trail 1-0. But McCullum’s rapidfire knock was overshadowed by the gloomy atmosphere as Pakistan and New Zealand observed a minute’s silence before start and wore black armbands to join in the mourning for young Australian batsman Phillip Hughes who died Thursday after being hit by a bouncer.
McCullum stole the show, hitting eight sixes — four off leftarm spinner Zulfiqar Babar — and 17 boundaries as New Zealand rattled the total in just 45 overs.
This was the fastest hundred ever by a New Zealand batsman, beating the 81-ball hundred Ross Taylor made against Australia at Hamilton in 2010.
Williamson, who had a dismal series before this match, hit seven fours and a six off 96 balls.
Pakistan’s spin-cum pace attack looked hapless against McCullum as Babar conceded 71 in his 10 overs while leggie Yasir Shah gave 59 in as many overs.
Tom Latham was the only wicket to fall, caught behind off Rahat Ali for 13.
Earlier off-spinner Mark Craig took a career best 7-94 as Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for 70 runs on a flat Sharjah stadium pitch.
Opener Mohammad Hafeez hit a career best 197 before he miscued a pull off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and was caught at deep square-leg.
But it was skipper Misbah-ul Haq who sparked a collapse, edging seamer Tim Southee to wicketkeeper BJ Watling in the fourth over of the day, without adding to his Wednesday’s score of 38.
Craig wrapped up the middle and lower order dismissing Asad Shafiq (11), Sarfraza Ahmed (15), Talha (nought), Rahat Ali (nought) and Yasir Shah (25).
Craig’s previous best of 4-91 came in his debut Test against the West Indies in Jamaica in June this year. — AFP