Fast bowler Trent Boult and debutant spinner Ajaz Patel raised New Zealand’s hopes of containing Pakistan’s first-innings lead on the second day of the first test on Saturday.
Boult (3-52) broke the two half century stands on either side of the first two sessions and Patel (2-64) took two quick wickets after lunch as Pakistan reached 225-8 at tea.
Pakistan led by 72 runs after New Zealand was bowled out for 153 in its first innings, losing its last seven wickets for just 42 runs on the first day.
Babar Azam was the only batsman to complete a half century and was batting on 60 off 101 balls with five fours along with No. 10 batsman Hasan Ali not out on 4.
Pakistan batsmen struggled against Boult’s swing and some tight bowling by Patel, the left-arm spinner. Boult, the left-armer, broke the 83-run fourth-wicket stand between Asad Shafiq (43) and Azam when he had Shafiq’s offstump uprooted after lunch.
Patel then lured Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed (2) into his favorite sweep shot and had him caught at backward square leg before B.J. Watling did smart stumping to remove Bilal Asif (10).
Earlier, Pakistan lost both its overnight batsmen, Haris Sohail (38) and Azhar Ali (22), on 91 inside the first hour after it resumed on 59-2.
Both batsmen stretched their third-wicket stand to 64 runs until New Zealand struck in successive overs through leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and Boult.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson surprisingly held back Boult for half an hour and went with the gentle medium pace of Colin de Grandhomme before Boult created an opportunity in his first over of the day.
Azhar should have been out on 19 but Jeet Paval dropped an easy overhead catch at short mid-wicket.
In Boult’s next over, New Zealand wasted one of its two reviews by going for an unsuccessful television referral against Azhar, who struggled to get going in his 95-ball knock.
Sodhi finally got the breakthrough when Sohail hit a low full toss straight to Tom Latham and Watling took a stunning low one-handed diving catch to his right to dismiss Azhar that gave Boult a deserving wicket.
Shafiq and Azam then denied New Zealand any more success before lunch until Boult returned after the break and gave New Zealand a much needed breakthrough.
