Bay Oval: Not even a broken toe could stop New Zealand’s pace attack from dominating day three of the first Test against Pakistan on Monday, but their efforts to quickly wrap up the innings were stalled by a late century stand from Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf at Mount Maunganui.
On a day disrupted by intermittent showers and an unseasonal hail storm, the Black Caps pace foursome took five for 50 in the first two sessions before Pakistan rallied to be all out for 239 at stumps, 192 in arrears.
Rizwan and Ashraf provided a face-saving partnership for Pakistan with 107 for the seventh wicket before the former was run out for 71 by a smart underarm throw from Mitchell Santner at square leg.
Ashraf soldiered on to a career-best 91 before he was the last wicket to fall.
When Pakistan resumed the day at 30 for one, Abid Ali and nightwatchman Mohammad Abbas were more intent on batting long rather than run gathering — especially with a question mark over the workload for the injured Neil Wagner.
The pair put on just nine runs in 74 balls while Wagner, who suffered a fractured toe while batting on Sunday and was told by a doctor he could bowl only if he could “tolerate the pain”, was kept out of the attack.
The partnership was broken by Kyle Jamieson who hurt Abid Ali with the last ball of his first over which smacked into the batsman’s fingers.
Azhar was caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling and although the umpire missed the nick and turned down the appeal, New Zealand successfully reviewed the decision.
Sohail’s exit was more straight forward with an attempted cut going straight to Henry Nicholls at gully.
Wagner tested his foot with three overs before lunch and continued with a seven-over spell after the break during which he took the only wicket to fall in the middle session with a trade-mark bouncer to Fawad Alam that was edged to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.
The nine-run knock continued a run of low scores for Alam who has adopted an unusual side-on stance that suggests he is expecting the ball to come from square leg — even more exaggerated than that of West Indies’ great Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Jamieson had the remarkable figures of two for nine off 17 overs at tea but as the Rizwan-Ashraf partnership took its toll, he ended the day with three for 35 off 23.1 overs.
Southee, Boult and Wagner took two wickets each.
