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http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...-to-gain-series-win-over-pakistan-in-hamilton
A declaration late on day four in the second test in Hamilton from Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson was still heavily in favour of the hosts. But given he also had the option to bat on well into the final day on Tuesday, it indicated he feels his side can dismiss the visitors and make it a series clean-sweep.
An unbeaten ton from Ross Taylor on Monday put New Zealand on the verge of their first test series win over Pakistan in three decades, with Pakistan 1-0 at stumps in their second innings, needing another 368 for victory on the final day.
New Zealand declared at 313-5, leaving the visitors requiring 369 to win the encounter to level the two-test series after New Zealand won the first test in Christchurch by eight wickets.
The last time New Zealand defeated Pakistan in a test series was in 1985, when the hosts won a memorable three-match series 2-0. Since then, there have been nine series of two or three test matches that have resulted in four victories to Pakistan and five drawn series.
The visitors are the No 2-ranked test team in the world and haven't been beaten in their last seven series, but Taylor's 102 not out and knocks from Tom Latham (80), Kane Williamson (42) and Colin de Grandhomme (a quickfire 32 from 21 balls) helped the hosts at Seddon Park further impose themselves.
Taylor, in doubt for this test due to eyesight problems and scheduled to have an operation on Wednesday, definitively swung the game New Zealand's way in the afternoon as he scored his 16th test century.
"All through that whole afternoon session I kept asking if there was a message," Taylor said after stumps.
"And they just said 'bat'.
"We still want to win test matches. We want to improve our ranking and we'll be doing everything we can tomorrow to win the test match. It'd be easy to do 1-0, but we're not going to get up those rankings winning a series 1-0.
Taylor said with Pakistan likely to chase an unlikely win required to tie the series, "that last session could be very entertaining".
"I think the first 10 overs with the new ball will set the tone for the match."
Pakistan left-arm quick Mohammad Amir believes his side will "definitely try to go for the target".
"The first session will be very important.
"If we lay a platform then we'll try to achieve the target. The target will be broken up into small targets and then if we have wickets in hand as we get closer to the target, we'll try to achieve it."
Latham, who had scores in the series of 1, 9 and a first-ball duck in the series prior to the second innings, helped close the door on Pakistan when he dug in for 150 balls before falling to a short one from Wahab Riaz.
"Tom and Kane batted outstandingly well," Taylor said.
"Tom, after getting a first-baller, to come out and bat and get 80-odd was outstanding. He's a very calm head, especially for a new player coming in, he was talking to me a lot and it was nice to bat with him for a while.
"Unfortunately for him, he got a decent nut as it would have been nice for him to go on.
"Opening in our conditions is not an easy job. I have played with a few openers over my time and he's definitely up there with the best openers I've played with."
Taylor said the wicket should still offer encouragement for the likes of Tim Southee, Matt Henry and Neil Wagner on the final day.
"It's a wicket that if you put the ball in the right areas for long enough it'll still do something.
"But at the same time it's almost a dot-dot-four, play-and-miss type wicket. Hopefully we don't get too frustrated if they do play and miss and few times tomorrow."
When New Zealand last won a series against Pakistan in 1985, that 2-0 series triumph came with test victories in Auckland and Dunedin after the first test was drawn in Wellington.
Richard Hadlee, Lance Cairns and Ewen Chatfield were too good for the visitors in Auckland while John Reid made an unbeaten 158 in NZ's only innings, while the Dunedin triumph came when Jeremy Coney (111no) and Chatfield (23no) put on a match-winning second innings partnership of 50 after Cairns had to retire hurt after being struck in the head by a bouncer.
A declaration late on day four in the second test in Hamilton from Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson was still heavily in favour of the hosts. But given he also had the option to bat on well into the final day on Tuesday, it indicated he feels his side can dismiss the visitors and make it a series clean-sweep.
An unbeaten ton from Ross Taylor on Monday put New Zealand on the verge of their first test series win over Pakistan in three decades, with Pakistan 1-0 at stumps in their second innings, needing another 368 for victory on the final day.
New Zealand declared at 313-5, leaving the visitors requiring 369 to win the encounter to level the two-test series after New Zealand won the first test in Christchurch by eight wickets.
The last time New Zealand defeated Pakistan in a test series was in 1985, when the hosts won a memorable three-match series 2-0. Since then, there have been nine series of two or three test matches that have resulted in four victories to Pakistan and five drawn series.
The visitors are the No 2-ranked test team in the world and haven't been beaten in their last seven series, but Taylor's 102 not out and knocks from Tom Latham (80), Kane Williamson (42) and Colin de Grandhomme (a quickfire 32 from 21 balls) helped the hosts at Seddon Park further impose themselves.
Taylor, in doubt for this test due to eyesight problems and scheduled to have an operation on Wednesday, definitively swung the game New Zealand's way in the afternoon as he scored his 16th test century.
"All through that whole afternoon session I kept asking if there was a message," Taylor said after stumps.
"And they just said 'bat'.
"We still want to win test matches. We want to improve our ranking and we'll be doing everything we can tomorrow to win the test match. It'd be easy to do 1-0, but we're not going to get up those rankings winning a series 1-0.
Taylor said with Pakistan likely to chase an unlikely win required to tie the series, "that last session could be very entertaining".
"I think the first 10 overs with the new ball will set the tone for the match."
Pakistan left-arm quick Mohammad Amir believes his side will "definitely try to go for the target".
"The first session will be very important.
"If we lay a platform then we'll try to achieve the target. The target will be broken up into small targets and then if we have wickets in hand as we get closer to the target, we'll try to achieve it."
Latham, who had scores in the series of 1, 9 and a first-ball duck in the series prior to the second innings, helped close the door on Pakistan when he dug in for 150 balls before falling to a short one from Wahab Riaz.
"Tom and Kane batted outstandingly well," Taylor said.
"Tom, after getting a first-baller, to come out and bat and get 80-odd was outstanding. He's a very calm head, especially for a new player coming in, he was talking to me a lot and it was nice to bat with him for a while.
"Unfortunately for him, he got a decent nut as it would have been nice for him to go on.
"Opening in our conditions is not an easy job. I have played with a few openers over my time and he's definitely up there with the best openers I've played with."
Taylor said the wicket should still offer encouragement for the likes of Tim Southee, Matt Henry and Neil Wagner on the final day.
"It's a wicket that if you put the ball in the right areas for long enough it'll still do something.
"But at the same time it's almost a dot-dot-four, play-and-miss type wicket. Hopefully we don't get too frustrated if they do play and miss and few times tomorrow."
When New Zealand last won a series against Pakistan in 1985, that 2-0 series triumph came with test victories in Auckland and Dunedin after the first test was drawn in Wellington.
Richard Hadlee, Lance Cairns and Ewen Chatfield were too good for the visitors in Auckland while John Reid made an unbeaten 158 in NZ's only innings, while the Dunedin triumph came when Jeremy Coney (111no) and Chatfield (23no) put on a match-winning second innings partnership of 50 after Cairns had to retire hurt after being struck in the head by a bouncer.
194 all out.
