Day 2: Masterful Kane Williamson and missed chances frustrate Pakistan
Pakistan must have felt very happy about their first innings score of 297 going into the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Now, it was up to their very capable bowlers to make that total count on a pitch that was providing decent help to seam bowlers.
The start to New Zealand’s innings though, was not as per the visitors’ wishes. Openers Tom Latham and Tom Blundell got through the early overs without much trouble. Mohammad Abbas was once again his usual metronomic self while Shaheen Shah Afridi too didn’t err in line and length. But no harm came to New Zealand till the 20th over, and up to the score of 52.
Then a brilliant review by captain Mohammad Rizwan for a lbw appeal against Blundell did the trick. The incoming delivery from Faheem Ashraf was found to have struck the Kiwi opener in line and was going on to hit the stumps fully. Pakistan finally had the breakthrough.
Suddenly, things started to happen. In the very next over, Shaheen got a ball to straighten just a little bit and the edge of Latham’s bat flew into the second slip’s hand. Even though the fielder there couldn’t grasp the catch, the rebound was taken by Haris Sohail at first slip to give Pakistan their second wicket.
It was a bit of déjà vu for the hosts as once again, they were relying on their two best batsmen – Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson – to get them out of trouble against a spirited Pakistan attack. Williamson, recently anointed the best Test batsman in the world, was once again playing with great control and patience, watching the ball closely and playing it as late as possible.
Taylor, as is his wont, was looking busy. However, his innings came to an end in the 30th over as Abbas also got a ball to straighten just enough to get an edge and a much-deserved wicket. Now, New Zealand were under serious pressure at 71/3. Then came the most important moment of the day, possibly even the match.
At the score of 74, Henry Nicholls got a beautiful delivery from Shaheen, who was bowling in a good rhythm now, and was out, leaving his team in the doldrums. Only that he was not! The on-field umpire soon received a communication from the third umpire that Shaheen had overstepped. Nicholls, who has been dropped by fielders five times in this season already, got another life.
And then, he had another narrow escape in the same over when another edge flew between the slips for four. After these lucky escapes, the left-hander settled down and, along with his captain, started to steady the ship.
Then, in the last half-hour before the tea break, a curious bowling change occurred. Part-timer Shan Masood was brought in to bowl gentle medium-pacers. This allowed Williamson and Nicholls to deepen their roots at the crease and get settled. By the time Tea was taken, the Kiwis had reached 145/3. The pressure was now firmly back on the visitors.
In the final session, things started to flow in New Zealand’s favour. First, Williamson got into his stride fully and started playing those elegant shots that are a feature of his batting. Nicholls too became more positive and the scoreboard began moving at a faster pace.
Both batsmen reached their fifties and for the home team’s captain, another hundred seemed set for the taking. There were only two close calls in his innings. First, a rising delivery from Shaheen, bowled from round the wicket, took the edge but went between second slip and gully. Then, when he was in the 80s, a healthy edge went over the slips for four.
But apart from this, the no. 1 Test batsman stood as stoutly against Pakistan’s attempts to break through as he did in the first Test. He reached his century with a delicate glance down to the fine leg boundary for four.
By this time, Pakistan were deflated and New Zealand were coasting. Williamson offered another chance, this time to the fielder at gully, only to be dropped. The icing on the cake, or the salt in the wound was another dropped catch, off the bowling of Shaheen, when he got Nicholls to edge the ball to the keeper. Rizwan went with the reverse cup technique and grassed the opportunity.
There was just one more trouble for the hosts to negotiate before the stumps. It was the sudden difficulty that Nicholls had with his calf. He took a long time in getting treated but carried on till the end of the day. Even the new ball couldn’t disturb the two batsmen.
So, New Zealand ended day 2 on 286/3, trailing by just 11 runs, and with two set batsmen at the crease. Williamson is batting on 112 while Nicholls is eyeing another hundred, at 89 not out. Day 3 promises more pain for Pakistan, unless they break this partnership and then get through the remainder of the batting without much more damage.
Day 1
The opening day of the Test saw the home side win the toss and put Pakistan into bat on another wicket promising help to the seamers. The day belonged to Kyle Jamieson as he picked up another five-for in his brief career.
But the damage was first done by Tim Southee when he got a very full inswinger to hit Shan Masood on the toe, to have him lbw. Abid Ali and Azhar Ali started forming a good partnership when Jamieson swung into action by removing Abid first and Haris Sohail and Fawad Ahmed a little later. The ball that got Fawad was a near-unplayable delivery that roared off a length to take the glove of the left-hander as he tried to sway away.
At 4/83, captain Rizwan joined Azhar and the two showed great grit to form an 88-run partnership. The Pakistan captain’s resistance was also broken by Jamieson. Then, a 56-run stand between Azhar and Faheem also threatened Pakistan. The former captain was denied a much-deserved hundred when he edged an away-swinger from Matt Henry to slip, to be out on 93.
Even the debutant Zafar Gohar showed great fight alongside Faheem. But once Faheem was dismissed, by Jamieson who got his fifth, there was little left for Pakistan to offer. The innings of the visitors ended on 297 just before the close of play.
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 "Akshay Saraswat")
