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"270 shouldn't have been scored as it is a bit on the high side on this pitch" : Sohail Khan
Pakistan haven't lost a test series in more than two years, but the world's No 2 ranked side are staring squarely down the barrel in Hamilton, and you can't help but feel they haven't helped their own cause.
Caught on the hop somewhat in the first test defeat in Christchurch, having being sent in and struggling to adapt to conditions after a rained out warm-up game, the tourists had to show some fight in this second and final test at Seddon Park.
A clear motivator was to keep intact a proud unbeaten run of series, which could have notched eight on this tour, but now looks likely to be shot back to zero, with them sitting 76-5 and trailing by 195 runs after day two.
Having given themselves every opportunity after winning the toss on a green one, periods of ordinary bowling combined with a couple of despicable dropped catches at first slip from Sami Aslam, had New Zealand off the hook.
On the face of it, 271 might not seem wholly intimidating, but in the bowler-friendly circumstances it represented something much larger.
Despite striking some early blows on Saturday, the visitors just didn't keep the pressure up for long enough spells, a bit like on day one, where they let Ross Taylor get away.
Sohail Khan, who ended with 4-99 off 25 overs, said his side struggled with a damp ball on the opening day, then acknowledged that the Kiwis racked up too many.
"Yes 270 shouldn't be scored," he admitted.
"It is a bit on the high side on this pitch.
"The thing is, one good partnership from Pakistan can take us very close."
It will be up to the lower order to produce for the visitors. BJ Watling's gritty 49 not out showed it wasn't impossible to hang around, but Pakistan's top order didn't learn much from the nuggety Kiwi keeper, perhaps too caught up in their want to be aggressive.
They flayed at a dangerous Tim Southee far too early in their innings and fell to a miserable 12-3, before a couple of awful strokes - none worse than Mohammad Rizwan's top-edged hook from his first ball in test cricket - left Neil Wagner with his tail up.
It all added up to a forgettable day for the tourists, who must still be wondering if they've missed a trick by leaving out classy leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
Yes, the deck was seamer-friendly, but just some variety, at least, could have been a boon; even looking towards the back-end of the game, where the pitch could just offer something for the slowies. It's already shown to have bounce. And of course New Zealand had their struggles against spin exposed for all to see on the recent tour of India.
Pakistan had talked in the days leading in about the need to extend the game to get Yasir, the world's No 7 ranked bowler, into it, which only added to the surprise when they included a four-pronged pace attack.
Quizzed about Yasir's omission after the first day's play, Black Caps batting coach Craig McMillan had to restrain his delight, then on Saturday evening Watling expressed his surprise too.
The last time Pakistan went in without a frontline spinner was way back in 2002, against Sri Lanka in Lahore - some 121 tests ago - and it means a big responsibility for the quicks now.
"Over here there is no need for spinners, and spinners is just to kill the time over here, to stop the runs," Sohail said. "But this game is more like an attacking game now.
"We will try to go as close as possible, and after that the responsibility will go on the bowlers to get the New Zealanders out as quickly as possible, and they will try their level best to win this test match."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...in-second-test-against-black-caps-in-hamilton
Pakistan haven't lost a test series in more than two years, but the world's No 2 ranked side are staring squarely down the barrel in Hamilton, and you can't help but feel they haven't helped their own cause.
Caught on the hop somewhat in the first test defeat in Christchurch, having being sent in and struggling to adapt to conditions after a rained out warm-up game, the tourists had to show some fight in this second and final test at Seddon Park.
A clear motivator was to keep intact a proud unbeaten run of series, which could have notched eight on this tour, but now looks likely to be shot back to zero, with them sitting 76-5 and trailing by 195 runs after day two.
Having given themselves every opportunity after winning the toss on a green one, periods of ordinary bowling combined with a couple of despicable dropped catches at first slip from Sami Aslam, had New Zealand off the hook.
On the face of it, 271 might not seem wholly intimidating, but in the bowler-friendly circumstances it represented something much larger.
Despite striking some early blows on Saturday, the visitors just didn't keep the pressure up for long enough spells, a bit like on day one, where they let Ross Taylor get away.
Sohail Khan, who ended with 4-99 off 25 overs, said his side struggled with a damp ball on the opening day, then acknowledged that the Kiwis racked up too many.
"Yes 270 shouldn't be scored," he admitted.
"It is a bit on the high side on this pitch.
"The thing is, one good partnership from Pakistan can take us very close."
It will be up to the lower order to produce for the visitors. BJ Watling's gritty 49 not out showed it wasn't impossible to hang around, but Pakistan's top order didn't learn much from the nuggety Kiwi keeper, perhaps too caught up in their want to be aggressive.
They flayed at a dangerous Tim Southee far too early in their innings and fell to a miserable 12-3, before a couple of awful strokes - none worse than Mohammad Rizwan's top-edged hook from his first ball in test cricket - left Neil Wagner with his tail up.
It all added up to a forgettable day for the tourists, who must still be wondering if they've missed a trick by leaving out classy leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
Yes, the deck was seamer-friendly, but just some variety, at least, could have been a boon; even looking towards the back-end of the game, where the pitch could just offer something for the slowies. It's already shown to have bounce. And of course New Zealand had their struggles against spin exposed for all to see on the recent tour of India.
Pakistan had talked in the days leading in about the need to extend the game to get Yasir, the world's No 7 ranked bowler, into it, which only added to the surprise when they included a four-pronged pace attack.
Quizzed about Yasir's omission after the first day's play, Black Caps batting coach Craig McMillan had to restrain his delight, then on Saturday evening Watling expressed his surprise too.
The last time Pakistan went in without a frontline spinner was way back in 2002, against Sri Lanka in Lahore - some 121 tests ago - and it means a big responsibility for the quicks now.
"Over here there is no need for spinners, and spinners is just to kill the time over here, to stop the runs," Sohail said. "But this game is more like an attacking game now.
"We will try to go as close as possible, and after that the responsibility will go on the bowlers to get the New Zealanders out as quickly as possible, and they will try their level best to win this test match."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...in-second-test-against-black-caps-in-hamilton
