NZ eye big lead after late strikes

New Zealand endured a fruitless morning session, tied Pakistan down after lunch for Younis Khan's bonus wicket, and struck thrice with the second new ball after tea. Barring the first and the last hours, Pakistan were kept quiet through the day, and were still trailing by 122 runs at stumps with the tail in.

Almost nothing happened for New Zealand till the second new ball. Younis and Azhar Ali put on their fourth century stand of the year before the former gifted his wicket after seeming set for what would have been his fifth century in four Tests. James Neesham bowled it short and wide, and Younis slammed it straight to cover to depart for 72.

There were still no alarms for Pakistan, as Azhar and Misbah-ul-Haq added a steady 50. New Zealand took the second new ball five overs after tea. There had been next to no movement for New Zealand with the first new ball, and slight reverse swing as it got old. But the second one swung more, and Trent Boult sent Misbah back on 28 off his fourth delivery with it.

He set the Pakistan captain up with a couple of inswingers before one went across with the angle and took the edge to first slip. It was Boult's first wicket in his 48th over of the series, and also the first time that a catch had been taken in the slips off a fast bowler for this series and Pakistan's previous one against Australia.

The legspinner Ish Sodhi was brought on after nine overs from the fast bowlers and he struck immediately, removing the stubborn Azhar Ali. Sodhi had delivered quite a few boundary balls, and gave Azhar a long hop in that over, but the last ball came on quicker and hit the stumps after brushing the pad. Azhar batted over five hours and faced 225 deliveries for his 75, during which he hit his fourth six in Test cricket, the last one having come on the same ground against England in February 2012.

Three overs later, Asad Shafiq shouldered arms to a Boult front-foot no-ball and lost his bails to an incoming delivery from round the stumps. Shafiq was on 21 then, and he and Sarfraz Ahmed countered with by far the quickest partnership of the match, adding 59 inside 15 overs.

Sarfraz looked to score almost every ball, stepping out against the spinners and also using the sweep. Shafiq played some pleasing flicks, but he threw it away in the penultimate over of the day, slashing Tim Southee to wide slip on 44. It was also Southee's first wicket in his 53rd over of the series.

Pakistan took 65 runs in the final hour, 50 runs in the first, and managed 132 in the rest of the day. The New Zealand spinners probed away without success in the morning against a positive Younis and a solid Azhar. Pakistan began on a shaky 34 for 2 but barring the odd delivery from the spinners, Younis and Azhar were in total control. There was no movement again for the fast bowlers, despite a change of balls after the second over of the day, with the stitching of the seam coming off.

The offspinner Mark Craig tested Younis from both sides of the wicket, tossing it up, pushing some wide, and varying his pace. But Younis never allowed Craig to tie him down as he stepped out repeatedly to hit the offspinner for sixes and fours over midwicket. When Craig changed the angle, Younis drove him through cover and kept leaving the crease.

New Zealand turned to pace for the first 15 overs after lunch, and Younis and Azhar were kept quiet with tight lines and some reverse swing. The wicketkeeper often stood up to the fast bowlers to prevent the batsmen from standing outside the crease to counter the movement. Barring a couple of run-out opportunities, though, New Zealand did not create any chances in that period. However, they conceded only 23 runs in the first hour after lunch, bowling wide outside off at times with a packed infield. It was one such long hop from Neesham that Younis fell to as he looked for some release in the second over after drinks.

The spinners were brought back after Younis' exit and Azhar and Misbah hit a few boundaries till tea before New Zealand turned it around in the evening.