(REUTERS)Pakistan completed a thumping 10-wicket victory in the first Test over New Zealand inside three days after they had bowled the hosts out for just 110 in their second innings after the tea break. The visitors had been given a victory target of just 19 runs after they established a 92-run first innings lead earlier yesterday before left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman was again the principle tormenter of New Zealand’s batsmen, taking three wickets for 24 runs and creating enormous pressure.
Rehman, who was named man- of- the- match, also combined magnificently with left-arm pace bowler Wahab Riaz, who ended with three for 38, while Umar Gul mopped up the tail to finish three for 28.
Mohamam Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar then wrapped up the victory in just 3.4 overs to guide the visitors to 21-0 and a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The second Test begins in Wellington next Saturday.
“We didn’t feel we would win today,” captain Misbah-ul-haq said. “The wicket was a bit flat, a bit slow and it wasn’t easy to get the batsmen out but I think the bowlers did a fantastic job and they won the match today.”
New Zealand had gone to tea at 33 for no loss, however they crumbled after the break, losing seven wickets for 35 runs.
Tim McIntosh, who was dropped by Taufeeq at first slip off Umar Gul and survived two confident lbw appeals before tea, was the first to go when he danced down the wicket to Rehman only to see the ball slide past his outside edge and be stumped by Adnan Akmal for three.
Brendon McCullum was next to go, though he could be considered unlucky when he was given out by umpire Rod Tucker for 35 caught by Akmal down the leg side off a Wahab delivery.
Television replays, however, showed he had not hit the ball with the delivery deflecting off his thigh pad.
Coincidentally McCullum was given not out in the first innings when replays suggested the ball had brushed his gloves.
The umpire review system is not being used in the series.
New Zealand then collapsed with Martin Guptill (11), Jessie Ryder (0), Ross Taylor (8) and Kane Williamson (1), all being dismissed for the addition for a total of one run, while captain Daniel Vettori was out lbw for three to reduce the hosts to 71 for seven. McIntosh was dismissed with the team score on 36.
“I think we fought pretty hard this morning to give ourselves a chance to come back into the game,” Vettori said after they had dismissed Pakistan for 367.
“I thought the three seam bowlers worked pretty hard and did a good job throughout the game, particularly Tim Southee.
“It was probably his best Test match bowling performance I’ve seen from him … but then to let it all slip with a familiar batting performance in the third innings, it just leaves a really sour taste.”
NEW ZEALAND 1st innings 275; B. Mc Cullum 56, T. Southee 56, M. Guptil 50, K. Williamson 50. T. Ahmed 4-63 and A. Rehman 3-51.
Pakistan 1st innings
Mohammad Hafeez c McIntosh b Martin 0
Taufeeq Umar c Williamson b Arnel 54
Azhar Ali c †Young b Martin 24
Younis Khan c & b Arnel 23
Misbah-ul-Haq* lbw b Arnel 62
Asad Shafiq lbw b Southee 83
Adnan Akmal† c Ryder b Southee 44
Abdur Rehman b Arnel 28
Umar Gul lbw b Vettori 17
Tanvir Ahmed c Southee b Martin 18
Wahab Riaz not out 0
Extras (b 4, lb 6, w 1, nb 3) 14
Total (all out; 122.1 overs; 512 mins) 367
Fall of wickets1-0, 2-72, 3-104, 4-107, 5-256, 6-256, 7-332, 8-332, 9-365, 10-367
Bowling: Martin 25.1-7-86-3(2nb, 1w), Southee 32-10-82-2, Arnel 28-6-95-4, Vettori 29-12-48-1 (1nb), Williamson 6-0-33-0, Guptil 2-0-13-0
NEW ZEALAND 2nd innings R
TG McIntosh st †Adnan Akmal b Abdur Rehman 3
BB McCullum c †Adnan Akmal b Wahab Riaz 35
MJ Guptill c Taufeeq Umar b Abdur Rehman 11
LRPL Taylor run out (Misbah-ul-Haq) 8
JD Ryder lbw b Wahab Riaz 0
KS Williamson c Azhar Ali b Wahab Riaz 1
RA Young† c Azhar Ali b Umar Gul 12
DL Vettori* lbw b Abdur Rehman 3
TG Southee c sub (Umar Akmal) b Umar Gul 17
BJ Arnel not out 8
CS Martin c Younis Khan b Umar Gul 7
Extras (nb 5) 5
Total (all out; 38.3 overs; 184 mins) 110
Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-44, 3-60, 4-60, 5-61, 6-61, 7-71, 8-90, 9-96, 10-110
Bowling: Gul 8.3-3-28-3 (1nb), Ahmed 4-1-20-0 (1nb), Rehman 15-6-24-3, Riaz 11-1-38-3 (3nb)
Pakistan 2nd innings (target: 19 runs) R
Taufeeq Umar not out 12
Mohammad Hafeez not out 9
Extras 0
Total (0 wickets; 3.4 overs; 15 mins) 21
Did not bat Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq*, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal†, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz.
Bowling Martin 2-0-11-0, Southee 1.4 0-10-0 .