Bond and Martin guide New Zealand to tense win

A MATCH-winning performance from fast bowler Shane Bond propelled New Zealand to a tense 32-run win against Pakistan in the first Test in Dunedin.

Playing in his first Test in more than two years, Bond took three for 46 on the final day at University Oval to add to his first-innings five-wicket haul as the Black Caps battled to a first Test victory since defeating Bangladesh in Chittagong in October 2008.

The 34-year-old ended the match with figures of eight for 153, which included the crucial wickets of Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal in the first innings and the match-turning wicket of Umar in Pakistan’s second-innings run-chase.

Iain O’Brien also struck late in the piece, getting two wickets in two overs to turn the match New Zealand’s way before captain Daniel Vettori claimed last man Mohammad Aamer caught and bowled to seal victory.

It was a final day that ebbed and flowed as New Zealand added just six runs to their overnight total of 147 for the loss of their final two wickets when play resumed.

That left Pakistan chasing 251 for victory – a target that looked well beyond them when they were reduced to 24 for three inside the first 11 overs.

But a composed half-century from Umar to follow up his maiden hundred on Test debut swung the momentum back Pakistan’s way.

Umar’s 71-run stand with captain Yousuf brought Pakistan back from the brink after the early loss of wickets and, once Yousuf departed for 41 in the middle session, Umar and Shoaib Malik steadily chipped away at the target.

But five minutes before tea O’Brien forced the error from Malik, who feebly top-edged to Brendon McCullum after the pair had put on 66 runs.

That left Pakistan at 165 for five at tea, needing 86 runs to win in the final session.

That target looked gettable with Umar and Kamran Akmal at the crease but the brothers could not reproduce their heroics of the first innings, when they scored 176 runs for the sixth wicket to rescue Pakistan.

When Umar was caught and bowled by Bond for 75, Pakistan still required another 56 runs.

The departure of Kamran five balls later for 27 saw Pakistan’s hopes fade further as the New Zealand bowlers rallied for one final match-winning effort.

Earlier, Pakistan’s hopes of winning looked forlorn after Bond had struck twice to reduce them to 53 for three at lunch.

The New Zealand paceman wasted little time with the new ball in hand, dismissing Khurram Manzoor for four when he edged it behind and McCullum made a brilliant diving one-handed catch.

Chris Martin claimed Imran Farhat (one) six balls later when the opener prodded one towards Tim McIntosh who went low to take the catch at second slip.

Bond struck again, getting Fawad Alam to balloon one to Peter Fulton at silly mid-on, and New Zealand were in the driving seat.

But Yousuf and Umar brought some much-needed stability to the Pakistan innings and by lunch the skipper had moved to 29 not out and the 19-year-old debutant had scored a patient 15 off 62 balls.

After the interval he showed a bit more of his natural attacking ability, notching four boundaries and slog sweeping Vettori for six. He brought up his fifty, from 112 balls, with a single off the New Zealand skipper just after the drinks break in the middle session.

Four overs later Malik had a lucky escape on six when Grant Elliott failed to hold on to a caught-and-bowled chance he should have taken.

At that stage Pakistan were 118 for four, and the right-hander made the most of his second life adding 26 more runs, before the hard-working O’Brien induced the edge to McCullum to claim his first scalp of the match.

By tea Umar was unbeaten on 66 with his elder sibling four not out.

But the final session belonged to New Zealand with Bond snaring Umar then Kamran being trapped lbw by O’Brien, which was confirmed by a third umpire review.

Umar Gul was caught by Vettori (two for 51) at mid-off in O’Brien’s next over. Asif was next to go, caught by Taylor at first slip off Vettori, before the New Zealand skipper caught and bowled Mohammad Aamer (15) to seal the win.

O’Brien finished the innings with three for 63, while Martin got two for 45 to go with his three for 63 from the first innings.

At the start of the day, Gul (three for 41) claimed the last two wickets to dismiss New Zealand for 153 in their second innings.

O’Brien failed to add to his tally of four when he was trapped leg-before-wicket and Elliott followed two overs later for 25, edging Gul to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal. Martin finished unbeaten on one. (Eurosport)
NEW ZEALAND first innings 429 (D. Vettori 99, R. Taylor 94, M. Asif 4-108)
PAKISTAN first innings 332, Akmal 129, Bond 5-107.
NEW ZEALAND second innings o/n 147 for 8
M. Guptil b Aamer 0
T. McIntosh lbw b Asif 31
D. Flynn lbw b Aamer 0
R. Taylor run-out 59
P. Fulton lbw b Gul 0
B. McCullum c wkp. Akmal b Asif 8
D. Vettori c Fawad Alam b Asif 8
S. Bond b Asif 7
I. O’Brien lbw b Umar Gul 4
C. Martin not out 1
Extras: (b-4, lb-5, w-1, nb-3, pen. 5) 18
Total: (all out, 67 overs) 153
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-87, 4-91, 5-112, 6-115, 7-123, 8-143, 9-150.
Bowling: Mohammad Aamer 16-7-29-2, Mohammad Asif 20-6-43-4 (nb-1, w-1), Umar Gul 14-3-41-3 (nb-2), Saeed Ajmal 17-5-26-0.

PAKISTAN second innings
K. Manzoor c (wkp.) McCullum b Bond 4
I. Farhat c McIntosh b Martin 1
F. Alam c Fulton b Bond 5
M. Yousuf c McCullum b Martin 41
U. Akmal c &b Bond 75
S. Malik c McCullum b O’Brien 32
K. Akmal lbw b O’Brien 27
M. Aamer c &b Vettori 15
U. Gul c Vettori b O’Brien 4
M. Asif c Taylor b Vettori 0
S. Ajmal not out 1
Extras: (b-9, lb-1, w-2, nb-1) 13
Total: (all out, 76 overs) 218
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-6, 3-24, 4-95, 5-161, 6-195, 7-197, 8-203, 9-213.
Bowling: S. Bond 21-5-46-3, C. Martin 16-4-45-2 (nb-1), I. O’Brien 23-3-63-3 (w-2), D. Vettori 14-1-51-2, G. Elliott 2-03-0.

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