Pakistan stuttered to 34-2 on a turning pitch after New Zealand’s tailenders batted spiritedly and posted 403 on the second day of the second Test on Tuesday.
legspinner Ish Sodhi clean bowled Shan Masood for 13 and offspinner Mark Craig cut short Taufeeq Umar’s comeback to test matches after two years when he had him stumped on 16 just before the end of the day’s play.
Pakistan was forced to draft in new opening batsmen as the in-form Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez were injured during the 248-run victory in the first Test last week. But with the track showing ominous signs of turn, Masood and Umar struggled to cope against spinners before perishing late on the second day.
Azhar Ali was unbeaten on 4 while Younis Khan, who has four centuries in his previous six test innings, will resume on 1. New Zealand was in danger of losing the initiative when it lost century-maker Tom latham (137) and Corey Anderson (9) inside the first three overs in the morning after it resumed at 243-3.
But Craig, dropped twice, and BJ Watling pinched Pakistan with a 68-run seventh-wicket stand, then Sodhi (32 not out) guided New Zealand to 400 with a straight six off Pakistan’s most successful bowler, Zulfiqar Babar, who took 4-137.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was rewarded when he turned to Azhar on Tuesday, and the part-time legspinner immediately broke the two-hour, Watling-Craig partnership by having Watling caught at backward point on 39.
Craig made a defiant 43 off 110 balls with five fours before he missed Babar’s short delivery and was out leg before wicket as New Zealand lost both set batsmen in successive overs and reached tea at 369-8.Breif Scores
New Zealand: 403 (Tom latham 137; Zulfiqar Babar 4/137) lead Pakistan: 34/2 (Taufeeq Umar 16; Mark Craig 1/8, Ish Sodhi 1/12) by 369 runs.