Openers put Black Caps into healthy position in first test versus Pakistan

At Karachi National Stadium: Pakistan 438 (Babar Azam 161, Agha Salman 103, Sarfaraz Ahmed 86; Tim Southee 3-69) versus New Zealand 165-0 (Devon Conway 82 not out, Tom Latham 78 no).

An imposing and unbroken century opening stand has given New Zealand an opportunity to possibly apply pressure on Pakistan in the latter stages of the first test in Karachi.

Replying to the hosts’ 438 all out, the Black Caps reached stumps on day two 165 without loss, with Devon Conway unbeaten on 82 (from 156 balls) and Tom Latham with him on 78 (from 126 deliveries).

It was the first century opening partnership for New Zealand in 10 innings – since the second-test win over Bangladesh in Christchurch in January, when Latham made 252 (and Conway 109 batting at No.3) and put on 148 for the first wicket with Will Young.

It allowed the tourists to take a big chunk out of the deficit they faced when Pakistan’s innings ended, with the potential – should they continue to flourish on a good batting wicket on day three – of putting some heat on the hosts when batting a second time in their mid-winter encounter.

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Conway had a life when he was caught behind off Nauman Ali, on 57, to the last ball before drinks in the final session.

Wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed appealed but then didn’t ask for a second opinion after it was given not out by umpire Aleem Dar, and neither did captain Babar Azam. Yet television replays indicated via Snicko that the ball kissed the underside or even back of Conway’s bat.

Resuming on 317-5, Pakistan were dismissed in the second session for 438, with Agha Salman providing the majority of their runs on day two as he registered his maiden test century.

Babar, 161 not out overnight, faced just three balls of the morning’s opening over from New Zealand skipper Tim Southee before falling caught behind when his feet hadn’t woken up.

Still, it was 149 more than he should have scored after being dropped in the opening session of the test on Boxing Day by Daryl Mitchell at slip off Ajaz Patel.

Salman got dogged support from Nauman Ali, who at one stage was on one from 47 balls.

The duo added 54 for the seventh wicket before the belated introduction of Neil Wagner brought the breakthrough. With his fifth ball – and with 15 minutes left before lunch – the veteran left-armer drew a mishit shot from Nauman to a short ball, leading to sharp Michael Bracewell catch at square leg.

Mohammed Wasim used the polar opposite of Nauman’s approach and gifted Ish Sodhi a wicket with the worst ball of his useful spell as Pakistan added just 60 runs in the session, at two runs per over.

After lunch, Sodhi induced an edge from Salman to the eighth ball of the session when on 59, which didn’t go to hand. With less faith in the tail than he did in Nauman, Salman struck out and reached his first test ton from 146 balls.

It was the perfect innings from a No.7 – supportive, patient and defiant initially, and then aggressive, punishing and potentially match-altering.

Southee led New Zealand’s bowling with 3-69 from 25.5 overs, while the trio of spinners (Patel, Bracewell and Sodhi) collected six wickets between them while conceding 271 runs. That accurately indicated that the visiting side’s finger spinners – the first two mentioned – were tidy and consistent but without often having the variety or inspiration to get their wickets cheaper or quicker.

Many felt that would contrast with the home spinners, particularly Abrar Ahmed, following his 17 wickets in two tests against England in losing efforts.

But he and left-arm tweaker Nauman were unable to find a way past the broad bats of the two New Zealand left-handers.

Big moment

When ‘mystery spinner’ Abrar’s first ball shot through at ankle height and struck Conway on the pad in front of middle stump, it was a heart-stopping moment for Black Caps fans fearing the worst on how their batters would fare against Abrar’s bag of tricks.

But while Abrar was convinced he’d trapped Conway leg before, his appeal was rejected and Sarfaraz let his team-mate know the ball had pitched outside the line of leg stump.

From there, the pair of left-handers looked competently assured against the leggie, who finished day two with figures of 0-57 from 17 overs.

Best with the bat

Conway brought up 1000 test runs in the penultimate over, becoming the fastest New Zealand player to do so in tests.

It’s just the 19th innings for the transplanted South African, getting him there one quicker than John F Reid and Mark Richardson. Daryl Mitchell has a chance to go one better when he bats, needing 59 more runs to reach the mark in his 18th test knock.

While Latham swept his way towards what could be a 13th test ton, Conway compiled his runs via a collection of straight drives, crashing shots through cover with a low back knee, and a series of sweeps and reverses.

Best with the ball

The added responsibility of captaincy didn’t appear to play on Tim Southee’s performance with his core skill.

On an unforgiving wicket for a swing/seam bowler, the 34-year-old deserved his three scalps at an economical rate, including removing innings mainstay Babar Azam almost immediately on day two.

Southee now has 350 test wickets, of which 51 have come in Asia at a meritorious average of 25.33.

That leaves him just 12 wickets short of passing Daniel Vettori as New Zealand’s second-most profilic bowler in the country’s test history.

Big picture

While a draw looks the most likely outcome, matters can change quickly in the latter stages of tests which are seemingly drawing to an obvious stalemate.

How will the wicket play on days four and five? There were some faint signs of erratic turn and bounce from the rough created by the pace bowlers’s footmarks, with the occasional delivery skidding through.

In Rawalpindi at the start of the month, England won a test after their first innings of 657 was met with a reply of 579 by the hosts.