Impressive Pakistan wrap-up Hamilton Test
A good partnership between captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 and Asad Shafiq on day two meant that Pakistan were in a commanding position in the Test match. The duo were unbeaten on 50 and 74 respectively, at the end of the second day.
However, the two could not continue for too long on the third day at Seddon Park, Hamilton, as Asad Shafiq fell to a dubious LBW (Leg before Wicket) decision off a Tim Southee delivery. He scored an impressive 83, ending his mammoth partnership of 149 with
the captain. Misbah was the next man to go with the score still at 256. The skipper missed a delivery from Arnel that came in and rapped him on the pads.
At that point there was fear of a collapse for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754’s total.
Adnan Akmal played a fine innings and got past the early jitters to stroke some fine boundaries on the off-side. Rehman gave him good company, boosting the scoring rate by hitting Vettori for two massive sixes. The partnership was finally broken when Akmal
was cleanly caught at gully by Jesse Ryder off Southee for 44. Again, as is mostly the case with Pakistan, two batsmen were dismissed in quick succession. Rehman was the second one to go with the total at 332, as he inside-edged an Arnel delivery on to his
stumps.
Umar Gul and Tanvir Ahmed, who scored 17 and 18 respectively, played great attacking shots to boost the final total to 367. This meant Pakistan had taken a handy lead of 92 in the first innings. New Zealand played out the remainder of the post-lunch session
without losing a wicket, as they went in at a score of 33. McCullum was smashing every ball in sight, while McIntosh was barely hanging on, courtesy of some fortunate LBW not-out decisions. After lunch, McIntosh was the first to go with the score at 36, as
he was brilliantly stumped off Rehman’s left arm spin. His wicket triggered a fabulous nosedive for New Zealand. McCullum was next to go with the score at 44, as he gloved one down the leg side, off Wahab Riaz. He had made a quick fire 35. Guptill, who looked
uncomfortable against Rehman was the next to go, with the score on 60. He tried to sweep Rehman but was only able to top-edge it to Taufeeq Umar. Jesse Ryder went without scoring on the same total, when he received a fantastic in-swinging yorker from Wahab
Riaz that hit his toe right in front of the stumps.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915 was then run out for 8, attempting a risky single as Pakistan continued to tighten their hold on the game. Williamson was the next to go on the same total. He inside-edged Wahab to Azhar Ali at gully, as New Zealand’s wickets kept falling. Vettori
continued his bad form with the bat as he was trapped LBW by Rehman for just 3. Tim Southee, who was the next wicket to fall, played well for his 17 but was caught well by substitute Umar Akmal at mid-off. Wicketkeeper Reece Young’s long stay at the wicket
was also ended by Gul, when he made the keeper top-edge a bouncer to Azhar Ali at deep square leg for 12. Martin was the last man to fall, again off a Gul bouncer, as Pakistan wrapped up the Kiwis’ innings for 110 in just 38.3 overs, in a brilliant session’s
work. Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and Abdur Rehman all finished with 3 wickets apiece.
That meant, Pakistan were required to make just 19 runs in their second innings to win the Test. The task was ably finished by openers Taufeeq Umar and Mohammad Hafeez. They scored 12 and 9 respectively, assuring Pakistan a tremendous victory.
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