Pakistan punish shoddy batting

Relevant offers

Cricket

Black Caps overcome spirited Zimbabwe in T20 Easy does it for Jesse Ryder's Black Caps return Is one-day cricket suffering a mid-life crisis? Ex Zimbabwean wears 'silver fern' with pride Clarke stars as Australia hold on vs Sri Lanka Get runs, stop theirs to win in 50-over game Teen Tom Latham boosts his bank balance Training mishap puts key bowler in doubt Injury clouds over Guptill, Oram only negative NZ batsmen dine out again but places open

After the highs often come the lows.

A day of breathtaking cricket on Thursday was replaced by low brow yesterday as New Zealand's struggling batsmen allowed Pakistan back into the first test.

Four of them made ducks, another, Tim McIntosh, batted 200 minutes for 31 and Ross Taylor top scored with a streaky 59 which included a filthy slog for six to a straight ball from Umar Gul. Taylor was swinging from the hip but had he lost his middle stump he might have been hanging from the rafters.

Pakistan were not without fault either, they dropped two catches behind the wicket, were penalised five runs when the ball hit the fielding helmet and captain Yousuf Mohammad only had two slips in place when the Black Caps were two wickets down without a run on the board. Oh, it was awful at times.

It seems when Shane Bond and Mohammad Aamer are not bowling, or Umar Akmal batting, the test slips down a notch or two. No wonder B grade is being whispered behind a raised hand.

When players trudged from the field for the umpteenth time last night they outnumbered the spectators.

Even the long room, where the members have had a whale of a time this week, was down to two young lasses passing the time over a glass of wine.

The last stanza lasted less than 10 minutes. The umpires offered the light, the stumps were removed, the covers rushed on, time was called and everyone cheered.

New Zealand's lead is 244 with two wickets in hand, one of them Grant Elliott unbeaten on 20 after 136 minutes at the crease.

New Zealand started their second innings with a lead of 97, thanks to Bond's fifth five-wicket bag (5-107), but the batsmen wet their pants and this time Brendon McCullum (0) and Daniel Vettori (8) could not save them.

There is something about the third innings of a test and New Zealand. So many times over the past decade they have come to the park on the fourth day with their nose in front only to leave with it bloodied.

This was another occasion and fast bowler Chris Martin knew it.

"It wasn't the direction we wanted the game to head in but I still think the opportunity is there tomorrow, and that's always the way you have to look at it," Martin said.

"As much as you guys might write something differently in tomorrow's papers, what really counts is the paper the day after.

"I think having them chase anything over 250 on the final day on a wearing wicket with variable bounce is going to be a big ask for them, especially if we do everything in a disciplined manner and turn up prepared to win the game."

Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal wore a smile after the day's play. Pakistan came to the ground thinking a draw was probably the best result they could hope for, now victory is on their minds.

"At the moment it is 50-50. This wicket is behaving differently to the first two days. It was very even, now it is not even," Akmal said.

Pakistan have identified Bond as a bigger threat than Vettori and feel playing strokes against the Canterbury speedster is the best approach.

"Playing your natural game and being positive is the best plan against Shane Bond," Akmal said.

- © Fairfax NZ News