Pakistan find chinks in Kiwi batting armour

Pakistan found chinks in New Zealand's batting armour on the first day of the second test at Christchurch on Thursday, with the home side losing two late wickets to take them to 284 for five.

After being asked to bat on a greenish pitch expected to give the fast bowlers some early help, New Zealand dug in, and at stumps number three Mathew Sinclair was unbeaten on 100.

Pakistan had expected a fight-back from New Zealand, whom they had described as a "wounded tiger" after they were bundled out of the first test in Auckland, losing by 299 runs.

Openers Mark Richardson and Matthew Bell weathered some early problems negotiating Waqar Younis and Mohammad Sami's seam deliveries in heavy, overcast conditions and went in to lunch at 75 without loss.

When play resumed, left-hander Richardson was bowled for 46 soon after he and Bell had brought up the 100 partnership. Richardson was brilliantly deceived by a Saqlain Mushtaq wrong-un and shouldered arms expecting the ball to pass harmlessly through to wicketkeeper Moin Khan.

Instead it came back in and took his off stump.

Then Bell and Sinclair went through some jitters as Saqlain weaved his off-spin magic and Waqar Younis created some fast-bowling menace.

Saqlain was the bowler of the day with his 28 overs costing just 64 runs and claiming the scalps of Richardson and Bell.

Bell went for 75, his second test half-century, caught by Faisal Iqbal off Saqlain. Stephen Fleming was smartly run out for 32 by Younis Khan, making up for dropping Bell early in the day when he was on eight.

Nathan Astle and Grant Bradburn were the two late wickets, ruining what had been a good day at the office for New Zealand.

Astle continued his poor test form, caught by Moin off a tireless Waqar for six, while born-again test player Bradburn, playing his first test innings for eight years, was caught by Imran Farhat at third slip off Fazl-e-Akbar for nought.

Sinclair was superb, punishing all the bowlers, even Saqlain, around the ground. His century came in 226 minutes from 148 balls, with 15 fours and a six.

Mail Cricket Editor