Pakistan rout New Zealand

Post Match Analysis: 1st Test, New Zealand v Pakistan, Seddon Park, Hamilton 7,8,9 January 2011

Misbah ul Haq has succeeded in uniting Pakistan team and getting maximum out of his inexperienced boys quit astonishingly. After drawing in UAE against the strong South African side he and his boys crushed New Zealand inside three days to start the new year for Pakistan on a high note. On the other hand Vettori has been left wondering how to get his team back to at least where they were about a year ago.

Misbah ul Haq won the toss and put New Zealand in on one of the best batting tracks in New Zealand considering overcast conditions and a tinge of grass on the strip. It was in effect a defensive decision as Pakistan bowlers neither could extract swing nor had any seam movement. 31 years old Reece Young made his debut while Pakistan left out Umar Akmal.

Day 1

Tanvir Ahmed as he does so often picked up a wicket in his first over, second of the innings, when Tim McIntosh gave a regulation catch to Younis Khan at second slip. McCullum, relieved off his duties as a keeper, relished his chance as an opener by playing with freedom and looked dangerous from the word go. He and Martin Guptill who was more sedate on the crease took the score to 78/1 at lunch. McCullum was lucky to get a reprieve when on 34 he had gloved a Wahab Riaz delivery to the keeper down the leg side but was not given out as he mischievously showed his shirt to the umpire. After lunch McCullum cracked Umar Gul for two sixes in two overs but Gul immediately took revenge when McCullum fell into the trap giving a catch to deep backward point while attempting another big shot. He made 56 off 77 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes. Taylor survived a run out chance when Wahab making an elementary fumble could not hit the stumps from a couple of yards. But he did not last long and became Abdur Rehman’s first victim by getting out caught behind. Jesse Ryder looked comfortable playing his shots freely including a six off Abdur Rehman but was run out by Wahab in the most unfortunate fashion. A straight push by Guptill kissed Wahab’s hand and crashed onto the stumps with Ryder stranded outside. Guptill handed Misbah a catch on a harmless full toss after making 50. His ultra defensive approach cost him dearly. They ended tea at 160/5. After the break debutant Young and captain Vettori did not last long but Williamson and Tim Southee made sure New Zealand end the day on a high. Williamson was dropped by Younis at slips of Abdur Rehman but there was no other drama in the last session. Southee hit Gul for 3 successive fours in one over. New ball was negotiated safely and they ended the day at 260 for 7. Their unbroken stand of 83 may prove vital for them on this flat wicket.

Day 2

Second day started with New Zealand looking to push towards and beyond 300but Tanvir and Gul polished off the tail with some aggressive short pitched bowling. Southee went for 56 while Williamson made an exact 50. New Zealand folded for a below par 275. Tanvir Ahmed continued to impress with figures of 4 for 63 while Gul and Abdur Rehman finished with 2 and 3 wickets respectively. Pakistan was now in a position to bat New Zealand out of the game on such a benign pitch but lost Hafeez caught in slips in the very first over bowled by Chris Martin for a duck. Azhar Ali and Taufeeq Umar played freely making full use of the pitch and undisciplined New Zealand bowling. Both hit delightful boundaries on both sides of the wicket. Taufeeq hit Martin for three successive fours in his next over. Both took Pakistan safely to lunch at 67/1.

After lunch New Zealand tightened their line and length and stopped the flow of boundaries. Azhar got out in his customary style caught behind off a back of length delivery from Martin. Younis Khan started fluently and hit Martin for three fours in one over. Taufeeq having brought up his fifty had gone into a shell and got out tamely flicking to mid wicket off Brent Arnel. He made 54 with 11 fours. Younis followed him to the pavilion soon after giving a return catch to the same bowler in his next over when he closed the angle of his bat too early. Asad Shafiq joined Misbah ul Haq at the score of 107 for 4. It was a precarious situation and one more wicket would have exposed the tail. Asad looked assured at the crease against pace and spin alike while Misbah was extra cautions feeling the brunt of responsibility. Slowly and gradually they brought Pakistan back to the commanding position when the play ended. Asad brought up his second fifty in his second test innings and was not out at 74 with 12 fours. Misbah suddenly had switched to T20 mode when after hitting a six off Williamson he reverse-paddled the same bowler for two fours in his next over to bring up his fifty. At stumps Pakistan had made 235 for 4. This was certainly Pakistan’s day again. They will surely love to take at least a 100 run lead tomorrow. New Zealand on the other hand, will have the option of new ball straight away in the morning and will have a chance to limit Pakistan.

Day 3

New Zealand took the new ball straight away and after a cautious start Pakistan batsmen started getting some fours away. Just when Asad Shafiq was looking all set for his maiden hundred he was given LBW off Southee which could have easily been turned down. He made a polished 83 and Pakistan had surely found a classy middle order bat in him. Next ball Arnel trapped Misbah LBW for 62 within 19 runs of Black Cap’s total. It was a delicate situation and any body’s game but Pakistan’s lower order resisted quite significantly for a change. First Adnan Akmal showed glimpses of his brother Kamran and then Abdur Rehman showed how he can hit after blocking almost every thing for 30 balls without scoring. Pakistan went to lunch at 314 for 6 with a lead of 39 runs. After lunch Akmal went after making vital 44 runs with 8 fours while Abdur Rehman got important 28 runs with two sixes off Vettori. Tanvir and Gul too contributed before falling and Pakistan got all out for 367 taking a lead of 92. Arnel took 4 for 95, his best figures, while Southee grabbed 3 wickets.

It was significant nut not a big lead on a flat track like this but New Zealand batsmen did not have the temperament to stay at the wicket against the nagging line and length of Pakistan bowlers. McCullum was unlucky to be given caught behind for 35. From 60 for 2 they collapsed like a pile of cards and lost 4 wickets for the addition of just one run. Misbah’s direct hit ran out Taylor while rest were blown out by a fiery Wahab Riaz spell. New Zealand at one stage looked like to be losing by an innings but Southee and Young took the score past 92 and New Zealand folded for a shambolic 110. They had lost all their wickets in just over half a session in a dramatic and frantic display of batting. Wahab, Gul and Abdur Rehman shared 3 wickets each. Pakistan required just 19 to win which they made easily winning the match by 10 wickets.

Abdur Rehman was the Man of the Match with his 6 wickets in the match. Misbah attributed this stunning victory to his bowlers’ efforts while Vettori rued the lack of discipline and spine displayed by his batsmen. The embarrassing thing was the fact that on a flattest of tracks against a second string Pakistan attack they lost the match in three days comprehensively. Even their fielding was poorer than Pakistan dropping 3 or 4 catches in the day. Pakistan will go in the next match for a white-wash while Vettori and Coach John Wright have many things to settle in a very short time.