New Zealand struggle against Pakistan

Tragedy struck New Zealand's quest to save the first test against Pakistan in Auckland on Sunday when opener Matthew Bell was run out for 28 to end a gallant opening stand of 91 with Mark Richardson.

New Zealand were 105 for one at stumps, with Richardson on 59 and night watchman Paul Wiseman on 2.

The home side need 431 runs to win from 138 overs, or as is more likely, to save the match.

They made a good start until Richardson called Bell for a single when wicketkeeper Moin Khan fumbled the ball behind the stumps.

Bell was slow off the mark and Moin threw the ball back to bowler Saqlain Mushtaq, who had the bails off with Bell's bat on the line and out.

A big test came for Richardson and Bell when spin was introduced in the form of Saqlain Mushtaq and two overs later by Mushtaq Ahmed.

Of the two spinners, Saqlain's off-spin has been the most testing, with variations creating plenty of doubt in the batsmens' minds and with plenty of runs to play with, Moin has been able to employ a number of close-catching batsmen.

New Zealand have little chance of winning the match and survival is the key, but Richardson and Bell were playing positively and rotating the strike, which with the left-hand right-hand combination served to upset the bowlers.

Young tearaway Mohammad Sami suffered this way and his eight overs cost 30. He was also warned by umpire Russell Tiffin of Zimbabwe about running on the pitch in his follow through.

Richardson, playing only his seventh test had an average of just under 43 going into this innings. His half-century was his fifth in tests and came in 134 minutes off 113 balls and included nine boundaries.

Bell, on the other hand, was in his ninth test although he had a break for 18 months when his average was just 15.8. He was undone first ball by an acknowledged bad umpiring call in the first innings when Moin caught him off the pad, but his experience of hitting five centuries for his Wellington provincial side in domestic cricket this season showed through in this innings.

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