… Pakistan stretch lead to 319 runs overall

(REUTERS) – Tom Latham struck his maiden Test century but New Zealand crumbled to 262 all out, conceding a 304-run first-innings lead as well as control of the first Test to Pakistan in Abu Dhabi yesterday.Left-arm pace bowler Rahat Ali claimed four wickets and spinner Zulfiqar Babar dismissed three New Zealand batsmen on a perfect third day for Pakistan who have dominated all nine sessions of the match but did not enforce the follow-on.
Pakistan were 15 for no loss at stumps having stretched their lead to 319 runs overall, although they will be without opener Ahmed Shehzad, who suffered a fractured skull in the first innings, for the rest of the match.
Azhar Ali was unbeaten on nine with Mohammad Hafeez on five as they survived the last half-hour without alarm.
Playing only his fifth Test, Latham added 83 runs with Corey Anderson (48) for the fourth wicket in the lone show of Kiwi top-order resistance at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
BJ Watling (42) and Ish Sodhi (25) dug in lower down but could not make up for the failure of the top- and middle-order.
Left-arm spinner Babar dealt two body blows in the morning session, removing New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum (18) and Ross Taylor for a duck.
McCullum edged a sharp turning delivery to Younus Khan at slip but stood his ground, unsure if the catch was cleanly taken, but he had to go after TV replays confirmed it had been held.
He was soon joined in the pavilion by Kane Williamson, who blocked a Rahat Ali delivery but could not stop the ball from bouncing back and hitting the stumps.
Like McCullum, Taylor also pushed at a Babar delivery with firm hands and Asad Shafiq collected the edge at gully.
Latham and Anderson arrested the slide with a resolute partnership before the latter chopped a Rahat delivery on to his stumps.
Latham survived a couple of close calls to reach his maiden Test century which he brought up driving Babar down the ground for a boundary.
His five-hour vigil was brought to an end by Rahat’s inswinging yorker which trapped him in front and New Zealand used the review option but could not get the lbw decision overturned.
Latham’s 222-ball knock included 13 boundaries and the 22-year-old displayed fighting spirit that was lacking in some of his team mates.

PAKISTAN 1st innings 566 for 3 decl. (A. Shehzad 176, Misbah-ul-Haq 102 n.o, Y. Khan 100 n.o., M. Hafeez 96, A. Ali 87)
NEW ZEALAND 1st innings (o/n: 15-0)
T. Latham lbw b R. Ali 103
B. McCullum c Y. Khan b Babar 18
K. Williamson b R. Ali 3
R. Taylor c Shafiq b Babar 0
C. Anderson b R. Ali 48
J. Neesham st S. Ahmed b Hafeez 11
B. Watling lbw b Babar 42
M. Craig run-out (R. Ali, S. Ahmed) 1
T. Southee c S. Ahmed b R. Ali 0
I. Sodhi b Shah 25
T. Boult not out 0
Extras: (lb-7, nb-4) 11
Total: (all out, 87.3 overs) 262
Fall of wickets: 1-33,2 -38, 3-47, 4-130, 5-150, 6-215, 7-219, 8-219, 9-262.
Bowling: R. Ali 17-10-22-4 (nb-3), I. Khan 11-2-29-0 (nb-1), Z. Babar 27.3-5-79-3, M. Hafeez 15-1-60-1, Y. Shah 17-1-65-1.

PAKISTAN 2nd innings
M. Hafeez not out 5
Az. Ali not out 9
Extras; (lb-1) 1
Total: (for no loss, 6 overs) 15
Fall of wickets: 0
Bowling: T. Boult 3-1-6-0, T. Southee 2-0-4-0, I. Sodhi 1-0-4-0.