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At Karachi National Stadium: New Zealand 449 and 277-5 declared (Tom Blundell 74, Michael Bracewell 74 not out, Tom Latham 62, Kane Williamson 41) versus Pakistan 408 (Saud Shakeel 125 not out, Imam-ul-Haq 83, Sarfaraz Ahmed 78, Agha Salman 41; Ajaz Patel 3-88, Ish Sodhi 3-95) and 0-2.
On one side, Blundell; on the other side, blunders.
That equation helped push the Black Caps again into a position to begin the last day of a test match in Pakistan with the far greater chance of victory.
Wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell made 74 from 135 balls in New Zealand’s second innings as visiting skipper Tim Southee set Pakistan a target of 319 for victory.
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Southee made that more difficult for the opposition by capturing a wicket with the second ball of Pakistan’s pursuit before Ish Sodhi removed the nightwatcher Mir Hamza to leave the hosts two down without scoring at stumps on day four of the second test in Karachi.
Blundell put on 127 for the fifth wicket with Michael Bracewell, who registered his maiden test half-century before ending unbeaten on 74 from 119 deliveries when New Zealand declared at 277-5, leaving their opponents three overs at the end of the day, which they failed to negotiate without major damage.
It was again a day’s play reflective of two teams struggling badly to score a test win, as poor umpiring decision reviews and dropped catches plagued Pakistan, while the tourists were guilty of some lax work with the bat.
SKY SPORT
New Zealand’s spinners took four wickets shortly before stumps on day three of the second test against Pakistan.
Blundell, batting up a spot at No 5 after Daryl Mitchell started the day ill back at the team hotel, also suffered an injury while running between wickets which meant Tom Latham took the gloves for the start of Pakistan’s second innings.
When Sodhi ended Pakistan’s first innings with the sixth ball of the morning, the tourists could start their second dig with a 41-run advantage and the opportunity to dictate tempo, and with it, the fourth-innings target for their rivals.
But opener Devon Conway started his response with a golden duck, and while Latham and Kane Williamson rectified that setback with a second-wicket stand of 109, matters unravelled in the second session.
The home team’s key spin bowler, Abrar Ahmed, believed he had Williamson lbw with his first ball of the day but after being turned down, opted for a DRS second-opinion which would have shamed even Southee.
He was only slightly better with the second ball of his next over in the same scenario but got the same return from a still fruitless attempt, leaving the hosts with just one more review left in the innings in the 12th over.
The customary solid Latham used a review when on 36 just before lunch to give himself a second life when initially given lbw, and was dropped by home team skipper Babar Azam off Abrar on 45, stretching left-handed at short midwicket soon after the resumption.
He did bring up his 25th test half-century – to go with 13 tons – and then the century partnership with an edge between slip and gully. When Pakistan didn’t use their last review to challenge an lbw appeal turned down when Latham was on 57 and NZ 109-1, which would have been successful, it seemed the visitors were about to be played out of the contest.
But Latham fell in the next over for 62 and chaos quickly reigned.
Henry Nicholls was given out caught behind two balls later, asked for a review and got a reprieve when no edge was detected, but Williamson didn’t survive his plea in the next over when lbw, missing a sweep to Abrar.
Blundell was then given out first ball but the thinnest of inside edges saved him on review, when he would have been the third wicket in eight balls.
Nicholls fell after a hapless five from 21 balls but Blundell was dropped by wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed in the last over before tea when on 21 and then again on 33, by Salman at slip, again off Abrar.
Big moment
Blundell’s reprieve after being adjudged lbw to the first ball he faced allowed the visitors a huge sigh of relief.
A razor-thin edge ensured he stayed at the crease and Pakistan rubbed salt into their own wounds by dropping the wicketkeeper-batter twice later.
Best with the bat
Despite being gifted more opportunities than he should have been on day four, Blundell still performed a key role to give New Zealand a lead of more than 300.
He ended the two-test series with 172 runs at an average of 57.33 – but with a concern whether he will be able to keep on the final day.
Best with the ball
Abrar has now taken 28 test wickets in just four matches.
They don’t come notably cheaply – he averages 33.64 per victim. But he deserved far better than 1-103 off 33 overs on day four after constantly troubling all Black Caps batters, but being let down by the field.
Big picture
The highest successful run-chase in the fourth innings in a test in Pakistan is 314-9, made by the hosts against Australia in Karachi in 1994. It’d now be a big surprise to see them better that, while New Zealand’s stunning success with the ball in the three overs they had before stumps put them odds-on to win the test and the series.
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