Pakistan op top as Asif strikes again

(BBC) Mohammad Asif took all three wickets as New Zealand managed just 70 of the 405 runs required for victory in the second Test against Pakistan in Wellington.

The hosts bowled Pakistan out for 239 in their second innings on the third day, but lost the wickets of Daniel Flynn, Tim McIntosh and Martin Guptill.

New Zealand are 335 runs short of what would be the fourth-highest winning fourth innings score in Test history.

Pakistan, however, will feel confident of levelling the three-Test series.

Asif finished the day with three wickets for 19 runs from his 11 overs, McIntosh (two) lasting just four balls before being trapped lbw.

Guptill (15) and Flynn (20) added 32 runs for the second wicket before Guptill’s inside edge onto his stumps, and Asif struck once more in the next over when Flynn edged to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.

It could have been worse for New Zealand but for some poor fielding by Pakistan, when captain Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq both dropped simple catches.

Ross Taylor, who took 14 balls to get off the mark with a well-timed boundary, and Peter Fulton survived to the close, and will resume on 15 and 12 respectively today.

Earlier, Misbah (33) was the only Pakistan batsman to fall in the opening session as the visitors resumed their second innings on 64-2, having skittled New Zealand for just 99 on Friday.

Misbah’s thick edge found Brendon McCullum off the bowling of Iain O’Brien, bringing Umar Akmal to the crease for a quickfire half-century from just 32 deliveries.
However, Umar holed out off the next ball for 52, and New Zealand set about doing damage with the new ball.

Chris Martin took the wickets of Mohammad Aamer (nine) and Yousuf (83), after a review overturned umpire Rudi Koertzen’s initial rejection of New Zealand’s lbw appeal for the latter.

Martin found himself on a hat-trick after new batsman Danish Kaneria got a thick edge to the slips first ball, but Asif survived to remain nought not out as O’Brien wrapped up the Pakistan innings, Umar Gul holing out to Fulton in the deep.