Farhat leads Pakistan fightback

Last updated 13:38 11/12/2009

MAARTEN HOLL/The Dominion Post

DREAM START: Iain O'Brien has destroyed Pakistan's batting in the third test in Napier.

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LATEST: After losing five wickets before lunch Pakistan have been bouyed by a century by opener Imran Farhat on the first day of the third cricket test in Napier.

Kamran Akmal was caught by Martin Guptil off the bowling of Chris Martin shortly after the lunch break to take the tourists to 6/90.

Opener Farhat and Mohammd Aamer then put on another 99 before Aamer was caught by Brendon McCullum off a Daryl Tuffey delivery.

At tea Pakistan were 180/7 with Farhat on 102 and Umar Gul on 14.

Earlier, retiring New Zealand fast bowler Iain O'Brien has ripped the heart out of the Pakistan batting line-up in the first session.

Pakistan, after winning the toss, have gone to lunch at 83 for five wickets.

While Tim Southee grabbed the first wicket, it has been O'Brien - playing in his last test before moving to England - who has destroyed the Pakistan batting lineup.

Southee, playing after NZ decided to take four quick bowlers into the match, got the first wicket when he cleaned out Salman Butt with the score on 14.

The next four wickets have gone to O'Brien, who firstly had Faisal Iqbal - included at the expense of Shoaib Malik - caught by Guptill for six and then Mohammad Yousuf departed for a duck caught by Tim McIntosh.

A short time later O'Brien struck again when Umar Akmal was caught in gully by Guptill also for a duck and just four balls later Misbah ul Haq departed, caught by McCullum.

O'Brien's wickets have been taken with the score on 39, 43 and 51 (two) and he went to lunch with figures of four for 15 off eight overs.

At lunch, Iqbal Farhat had streakily carried his bat through to 47 not out while Kamran Akmal had also lived dangerously in reaching 18 not out.

New Zealand left Grant Elliott and Jeetan Patel out of their squad and their bowling options will be Southee, Chris Martin, Daryl Tuffey, O'Brien and Daniel Vettori.

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- © Fairfax NZ News

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