New Zealand start solidly against Pakistan in first Test
KARACHI (AFP) - New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway got off to a confident start in the first Test against Pakistan Tuesday, reaching 41 without loss after the home side scored 438.
Latham and Conway were unbeaten on 20 and 17 respectively at tea on day two, after Pakistan added 121 runs to their overnight total of 317-5.
The highlight of Pakistan's batting was 103 by Agha Salman, who anchored the innings after skipper Babar Azam fell in the first over of the day without adding to his overnight score of 161.
Fast bowler Tim Southee forced an edge off Azam's bat off the fourth ball of the day to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell to give a kickstart to New Zealand.
Azam struck 16 boundaries and a six in his 365-minute knock.
Pakistan also lost Nauman Ali (seven) and Mohammad Wasim (two) in the first session, which produced just 60 runs.
Salman added 54 runs for the seventh wicket before New Zealand took two wickets in the space of three runs.
Pacer Neil Wagner had Nauman caught off a short-pitched delivery before Wasim was caught behind off spinner Ish Sodhi.
Salman then cut loose, hitting two successive boundaries off Sodhi to complete three figures. His previous best of 62 was against Sri Lanka at Galle in July.
Southee, who finished with 3-69, finally ended the innings by trapping Salman leg before, completing 350 wickets in his 89th Test.
He is the third New Zealand bowler behind Richard Hadlee (431 in 86 Tests) and Daniel Vettori (362 in 113) to take 350 or more wickets in Tests.
Salman hit 17 boundaries during his 155-ball knock. Ajaz Patel, Michael Bracewell and Sodhi took two wickets apiece. The two-match Test series is New Zealand's first in Pakistan since 2002.
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan 1st innings (overnight 317-5)
Abdullah Shafique st Blundell b Patel 7
Imam-ul-Haq c Southee b Bracewell 24
Shan Masood st Blundell b Bracewell 3
Babar Azam c Blundell b Southee 161
Saud Shakeel c Nicholls b Southee 22
Sarfaraz Ahmed c Mitchell b Patel 86
Agha Salman lbw b Southee 103
Nauman Ali c Bracewell b Wagner 7
Mohammad Wasim c Blundell b Sodhi 2
Mir Hamza lbw b Sodhi 1
Abrar Ahmed not out 6
Extras: (b3, lb10, nb2, w1) 16
Total: (all out, 130.5 overs) 438
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Shafique), 2-19 (Masood), 3-48 (Haq), 4-110 (Shakeel), 5-306 (Sarfaraz), 6-318 (Azam), 7-372 (Nauman), 8-375 (Wasim), 9-414 (Hamza)
Bowling: Southee 25.5-4-69-3, Wagner 21-2-66-1 (1nb, 1w), Patel 36-6-112-2, Bracewell 24-6-72-2, Sodhi 21-0-87-2 (1nb), Mitchell 3-0-19-0
Toss: Pakistan
Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG) and Aleem Dar (PAK)
TV Umpire: Ahsan Raza (PAK)
Match referee: Mohammad Javed Malik (PAK).
