Guptil, Taylor shine amid Black Caps gloom

BY CHRIS BARCLAY

Martin Guptill's maiden test 50 and a near century by Ross Taylor could not alleviate another fragile New Zealand batting performance as Pakistan ruled day one of the first cricket test in Dunedin today.

Guptill's 60 in his sixth test and Taylor's 94 at least allowed New Zealand to post a middling 276 for six at University Oval though both trudged to the pavilion unfulfilled.

New Zealand's only effective strokemakers were also the architects of their own demise, and when Taylor exited with the score on 192 early in the final session, Pakistan swooped in to prey on a patched-up middle order until Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum added an unbroken 65 for the seventh wicket.

The critical absence of an injured Jesse Ryder was soon apparent when Peter Fulton and Grant Elliott made little impression on their recalls as Mohammad Asif celebrated his first test cap in more two years by dislodging both in four balls.

Fulton managed an unconvincing 29 before he playing onto his stumps while Elliott, an automatic choice in ODIs, is still seeking double figures after unremarkable six test innings.

He laboured for 33 balls for eight, an ordeal ended when he tamely edged to Kamran Akmal's gloves.

Vettori almost had Asif eyeing a hat-trick when he edged just short of Imran Farhat at first slip.

Fortunately the captain survived to bat on tomorrow. He resumes on 40 while McCullum is on 25, having successfully referred a leg before wicket decision to third umpire Rudi Koertzen after he was given out by Simon Taufel with two balls remaining.

Earlier Taylor rued a missed opportunity to compile his fifth test ton when Saeed Ajmal coaxed him into a loose waft to first slip, mirroring a shot that failed to make contact in the offspinner's previous over.

He tossed and caught his bat in despair when Farhat's safe hands ended a 174-ball vigil that included 13 boundaries and a six.

Guptill was also slow on the uptake, his compulsive desire to pull taking some sheen from his achievement.

He twice had a reprieve on 26 when a spar to the slips cordon hit a slow-reacting Farhat on the forehead. Then, 17 dot balls later, he could not resist a swipe at Mohammad Aamer though fortunately the ball passed through a sleepy Gul at fine leg and cleared the rope.

There was rarely a false shot from the 23-year-old after that, just a collection of crisp boundaries, the ninth of which brought up his fifty from 100 deliveries.

But 10 runs later he succumbed when Aamer dug one in short; the ball ballooned off the top of the blade and a retreating Fawad Alam grasped a skier at square leg.

Guptill and Taylor added 117 for the third wicket, a necessary stand after Mohammad Yousuf's option to bowl after winning the toss was instantly vindicated.

Aamer was on the mark immediately, a full-pitched delivery -- the first of the morning -- beating Tim McIntosh for pace and cannoning onto leg stump via the toe of his bat.

Daniel Flynn (8) was the other casualty before lunch when Asif made his first strike and Akmal took his first catch off an inside edge.

At 27 for two inside six overs New Zealand were in a familiar predicament, though Guptill and Taylor at least mounted a partially successful rescue mission.

Guptill was expansive early before buttoning off. In contrast Taylor began cautiously -- his first two runs took 23 deliveries -- before he accelerated after the lunch break.

He motored from 19 to his sixth test fifty in quick time from a mere 29 balls -- and 97 in all -- as Ajmal was deposited over the square leg fence and Gul was finally collared after his first six overs yielded a solitary single.

Taylor had one anxious moment on 54 when Pakistan referred a failed leg before wicket appeal by Asif to Koertzen after Billy Doctrove was unmoved.

It was the first time the ICC's decision review system was employed -- and after a short consultation with new ball tracking technology Koertzen would not overturn Doctrove's decision.

Despite that disappointment Asif ended with the leading figures of three for 76 while 17-year-old Aamer had two for 62.

SCOREBOARD:

NEW ZEALAND
T McIntosh b Aamer                        0
M Guptill c Alam b Aamer                 60
D Flynn c K Akmal b Asif                  8
R Taylor c Farhat b Ajmal                94
P Fulton b Asif                          29
G Elliott c K Akmal b Asif                8
B McCullum not out                       25
D Vettori not out                        40
      Extras (11lb 1nb)                        12
      Total (for 6 wkts, 90 overs)            276

     Fall: 0 (McIntosh), 27 (Flynn), 144 (Guptill), 192 (Taylor), 210 (Fulton), 211 (Elliott).

     Bowling: M Aamer 19-3-62-2, M Asif 24-4-76-3, U Gul 21-7-78-0 (1nb), S Ajmal 26-9-49-1

- NZPA