IAIN O’Brien and Daryl Tuffey bowled New Zealand into a dominant position on the first day of the deciding Test against Pakistan in Napier.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf opted to bat after winning the toss but was grateful for a near single-handed effort from opener Imran Farhat, who carried his bat to finish 117 not out in a total of 223.

New Zealand openers Tim McIntosh and BJ Watling then put on 47 before bad light ended play.

In a frantic morning session, Farhat and opening partner Salman Butt put on 14 before the latter was bowled playing across a Tim Southee inswinger.

O’Brien made an immediate impact after his introduction at first change, cramping Faisal Iqbal in his first over with a rising delivery which the batsman, who made just six, could only loop into the hands of Martin Guptill at gully.

Yousuf, continuing to lead the side in the absence of Younus Khan, was the next to go to O’Brien as he flashed at a short delivery and edged to slip McIntosh.

Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq both fell in O’Brien’s fifth over – giving him figures at that stage of four wickets for three runs – Umar prodding tamely to Guptill before Misbah followed four balls later after an edge to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum. O’Brien finished with four for 35.

Farhat found some overdue support as Kamran Akmal reached lunch on 18 not out, but the wicketkeeper was dismissed for 22 by Chris Martin in the first over after the resumption when he bailed out of a pull stroke and miscued the ball to cover point to offer Guptill his third catch of the innings.

Mohammad Aamer and Farhat went on to add 69 for the seventh wicket before Aamer fell, nicking Tuffey to McCullum after making a diligent 23 from 82 balls.

Umar Gul carried on in a similar vein, his 24 representing the second-highest score of the innings before he and Mohammad Asif fell in successive deliveries.

Last-man Danish Kaneria crashed 16 in boundaries from 13 balls before another outside edge gave McCullum his fifth catch, four of them off Tuffey (four for 52). (Eurosport)
PAKISTAN first innings
I. Farhat not out 117
S. Butt b Southee 9
F. Iqbal c Guptill b O’Brien 6
M. Yousuf c McIntosh b O’Brien 0
U. Akmal c Guptill b O’Brien 0
Misbah-ul-Haq c (wkp.) McCullum b O’Brien 0
K. Akmal c Guptill b Martin 22
M. Aamer c McCullum b Tuffey 23
U. Gul c McCullum b Tuffey 24
M. Asif c McCullum b Tuffey 0
D. Kaneria c McCullum b Tuffey 16
Extras: (lb-2, nb-4) 6
Total: (all out, 64.3 overs) 223
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-39, 3-43, 4-51, 5-51, 6-90, 7-159, 8-194,9-194.
Bowling: C. Martin 9-0-37-1, T. Southee 17-4-62-1, I. O’Brien 15-5-35-4 (nb-2), D. Tuffey 15.3-4-52-4 (nb-2), D. Vettori 8-0-35-0.

NEW ZEALAND first innings
T. McIntosh not out 31
B. Watling not out 13
Extras: (nb-3) 3
Total: (0 wickets, 19 overs) 47
Bowling: M. Aamer 7-3-8-0, M. Asif 5-1-11-0, U. Gul 5-0-20-0 (nb-3), D. Kaneria 2-1-8-0.