Not even a broken toe could stop New Zealand’s pace attack from dominating the first Test against Pakistan on day three, but their attempts to wrap up the innings quickly were thwarted by Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf’s late-century stand on Mount Maunganui.
The Black Caps group of four pacers took five for 50 in the first two sessions on a day disrupted by sporadic showers and an unseasonal hail storm before Pakistan rallied to be all out for 239 at stumps, 192 in arrears.
Captain Rizwan was run out for 71 by a smart underarm throw from Mitchell Santner at square leg, Rizwan and Ashraf provided a face-saving partnership for Pakistan with 107 for the seventh wicket.
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Ashraf was the last wicket to fall at 91 which is his career best innings.
Meanwhile, when Pakistan started their innings at 30 for one on day three, Abid Ali and Mohammad Abbas were only interested in defending rather go for scoring. Both put only 9 runs while facing 74 balls.
However, the partnership was broken by Jamieson who hurt Abid Ali first and in the next over claimed Abid’s wicket who was bowled for 25.
Trent Boult, who had troubled Abbas with a series of short balls, found an edge with a complete delivery in the following and at first slip, Ross Taylor held the catch.
For the next 50 deliveries, Azhar Ali and Haris Sohail remained together but only contributed nine runs before both went over with one Tim Southee.
Wicketkeeper BJ Watling caught Azhar, and while the umpire missed the nick and turned the appeal down, the decision was successfully checked by New Zealand.
With an attempted cut going directly to Henry Nicholls at Gully, Sohail’s exit was more straight forward.
Wagner checked his foot before lunch with three overs and proceeded after the break with a seven-over spell during which he took the only wicket to fall with a trade-mark bouncer to Fawad Alam in the middle session that was edged to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.
For Alam, who has adopted an odd side-on stance that suggests he expects the ball to come from square leg, the nine-run knock continued a run of low scores, far more exaggerated than that of the great Shivnarine Chanderpaul of West Indies.
Jamieson had the notable figures of two for nine out of 17 overs at tea, but he concluded the day with three for 35 out of 23.1 overs as the Rizwan-Ashraf partnership took its toll.
Two wickets each were taken by Southee, Boult, and Wagner.
