Umar Akmal rallies Pakistan with a hundred on debut

Shane Bond and Umar Akmal stole the limelight on Day 3 in the first Test between New Zealand and Pakistan at Dunedin's University Oval on Thursday. The former was making a comeback to the Test team; the latter his debut.

By the end of the day, both had played a leading hand in their team's fortunes as Pakistan struggled to 307 for 8, still 122 runs in arrears of the Black Caps' first innings of 429.

On a windy day, when Bond made the ball talk, Umar Akmal, younger brother of Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, hit a masterfull century on debut to launch a rescue mission for the visitors. His 160-ball 129 included 21 boundaries and two sixes

The Pakistani top-order was rocked early on by Kiwi pacers Bond and Chris Martin. Martin (2 for 52) dismissed the opening pair of Khurram Manzoor (6) and Imran Farhat (22) in short order, before Bond claimed consecutive scalps of Mohammad Yousuf (17), Fawad Alam (29) and Shoaib Malik (2).

Reduced to 85 for five, the Akmal brothers stitched a 176-run partnership for the sixth wicket to help Pakistan recover. 

Scorecard

New Zealand (1st innings): (overnight 404 for 8)
T McIntosh b M Aamer 0
M Guptill c F Alam b M Aamer 60
D Flynn c K Akmal b M Asif 8
R Taylor c I Farhat b S Ajmal 94
P Fulton b M Asif 29
G Elliott c K Akmal b M Asif 8
B McCullum b U Gul 78
D Vettori c K Akmal b U Gul 99
S Bond c K Akmal b Asif 22
I O'Brien not out 13
C Martin lbw b S Ajmal 0
Extras: (lb-14, w-1, nb-3) 18
Total: (all out; 131.5 overs) 429

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-27, 3-144, 4-192, 5-210, 6-211, 7-375, 8-402, 9-428

Bowling: M Aamer 24-3-87-2, M Asif 34-6-108-4, U Gul 36-10-129-2, S Ajmal 37.5-10-91-2

Pakistan (1st innings):
K Manzoor b C Martin 6
I Farhat lbw b C Martin 22
F Alam c McCullum b Bond 29
M Yousuf c & b Bond 17
U Akmal c Fulton b Bond 129
S Malik b Bond 2
K Akmal c Taylor b Vettori 82
M Aamer not out 12
U Gul lbw b Vettori 6
M Asif not out 0
Extras: (nb-2) 2
Total: (8 wickets; 90 overs) 307

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-43, 3-74, 4-79, 5-85, 6-261, 7-293, 8-302

Bowling: S Bond 24-4-93-4, C Martin 18-7-52-2, I O'Brien 21-3-98-0, D Vettori 27-7-64-2