Vettori strikes as Black Caps take control

Daryl Tuffey did his best Shane Bond impression but Umar Akmal could not replicate his heroics on debut as New Zealand dominated a disrupted opening day of the second cricket test at the Basin Reserve today.

Although Tuffey could never match Bond's menacing pace and persona from the first test in Dunedin last week, he made a successful return to the test arena with the key wicket of Pakistan's rising teenage star as New Zealand made the most of Daniel Vettori's call to field.

When Kamran Akmal, on 21, and Mohammad Aamer, two, were offered the sanctuary of the dressing room at 6.44pm (local time) as the light deteriorated, Pakistan were struggling at 161 for six.

Bond twice took care of 19-year-old Umar Akmal in Dunedin and today it was a 33-year-old playing his first test in more than five years who prevented him maintaining a remarkable record of passing 50 in each test innings.

Promoted two positions to first drop after crafting 129 and 75 last week, Umar looked on track to reach another half-century early in the final session but, after scoring 46, Tuffey nipped an inswinger through the gate to bend back his off stump and worsen Pakistan's predicament.

Like his strident century in Dunedin, Umar made his runs in a rush, off just 48 balls with a half dozen boundaries and a slog sweep for six off Vettori.

But for every crisp drive there was an airy slice through or over slips as New Zealand's remodelled pace trio made life difficult after an uninspiring beginning.

Chris Martin, Iain O'Brien and Tuffey derived little assistance from a pitch expected to benefit the seamers while the batsmen confronted chilly, overcast conditions.

Pakistan made a solid start, Imran Farhat and recalled opener Salman Butt making an unruffled 60, easily the highest first wicket stand by either side in the series.

They looked in little difficulty until O'Brien extracted some venom downwind in his second spell, and Butt could not resist a pull shot that skied to Tuffey at mid on, a misjudgment that triggered a mini-collapse before tea.

Vettori soon struck twice in his ninth over, with Farhat, on 29, edging to Ross Taylor at first slip then two balls later Mohammad Yousuf was leg before wicket for a duck, the captain walking off after pondering a referral to the umpires decision review system.

Yousuf's demise left Pakistan vulnerable at 66 for three before Umar and Misbah-ul-Haq, who joined the tour on Monday to strengthen the middle order and slips catching, added 53 for the fourth wicket before Tuffey claimed breached Umar's defences to celebrate his first test wicket since Andrew Strauss was caught by Nathan Astle for 10 in England in June, 2004.

Tuffey, who took two for 32 from 16 overs, then had Shoaib Malik driving loosely to Vettori at mid off before the captain had the final say of a fairly forgettable day for the visitors when Misbah was leg before wicket for 21.

Vettori ended the day with three for 43, although his biggest impact was arguably at a coin toss delayed after both captains were unhappy with the state of the bowler's run-up at the RA Vance Stand end of the ground.

Umpires Simon Taufel and Rudi Koertzen originally wanted play to start at 12.45pm but Vettori and Yousuf refused until ground staff dried out the concerning area.

The match eventually got underway at 2.10pm and will start 30 minutes early at 11.30am tomorrow in a bid to make up for lost time.

Only 58 of the 83 allocated overs were delivered today.

SCOREBOARD

PAKISTAN

First innings

I Farhat c Taylor b Vettori 32
S Butt c Tuffey b O'Brien 29
U Akmal b Tuffey 46
M Yousuf lbw b Vettori 0
M ul-Haq lbw b Vettori 19
S Malik c Vettori b Tuffey 9
K Akmal not out 21
M Aamer not out 2
Extras (1w) 1

Total (for 6 wkts, 58 overs) 161

Fall: 60 (Butt), 66 (Farhat), 66 (Yousuf), 119 (U Akmal), 131 (Malik), 156 (Misbah-ul-Haq)

Bowling: C Martin 11-2-32-0, D Tuffey 16-5-32-2, I O'Brien 17-4-55-1 (1w), D Vettori 14-4-42-3.

- NZPA