NEW ZEALAND v. PAKISTAN

Intikhab won the toss again -- it was New Zealand's seventh consecutive Test lost toss -- and his players made the most of this good fortune to inflict a crushing defeat on a New Zealand team which was expected to be very much in competition. New Zealand's lack of a wrist-spinner was fatal in a match dominated by the batting of Mushtaq and Asif Iqbal, the bowling of Intikhab and Mushtaq. On the first morning, Pakistan scored 107 for two, and then play ended because of rain. On the second day Mushtaq and Asif broke the Pakistan fourth-wicket record against all countries in a magnificent display which yielded 350 runs. Even while they were batting, there were hints of what was to follow; on the third day the pitch powdered rapidly, the ball being white and dusty as Intikhab spun his way brilliantly to his best Test figures. Mushtaq took up where Intikhab left off to complete a crushing defeat on New Zealand.

At 126 for three Sadiq was out after making his third consecutive big score in the Tests and New Zealand had done reasonably well, but the medium pace bowlers were put to the sword by Mushtaq and Asif after a hard-fought morning. Only 40 runs were scored in the first eighty minutes. After lunch the bowling deteriorated and only Howarth, who could turn the ball a shade, contained the batsmen. Mushtaq's century was the twenty-first in Tests by the four Mohammad brothers. He spent two and three-quarter hours over his first 50, but his subsequent half-centuries took only 100, 64 and 70 minutes. Asif made his century in three hours twenty minutes, and his third 50 came in thirty-six minutes and an indication of the dazzling display they gave, once they were established, was the times for the 50's in the partnership -- 67, 57, 38, 38, 17, 23, 34. In the last four hours, Pakistan scored 316 on the second day. The stand of 350 took only 274 minutes; it was the most severe thrashing New Zealand bowling had suffered for twenty years. Mushtaq hit twenty 4's, Asif one 6 and eighteen 4's.

Intikhab declared before the third day's play began and although Jarvis failed again, Turner and Congdon progressed swiftly against the medium-pace bowling. As soon as Intikhab took up the attack, the writing was on the wall. He obtained sharp turn and bounce, sometimes had the ball whipping through low and the New Zealanders, unable to go fully forward or back, resorted to the sweep shot with disastrous results. After Turner and Congdon, Wadsworth alone showed enough enterprise to challenge the bowlers. Nine of the New Zealand players had scored centuries or half-centuries in Tests, but the team was humiliated by Intikhab's skill and aggression. He was able to bring his fieldsmen in for nearly all of his long spell.

Following on, New Zealand again started briskly against medium-paced bowling which was innocuous on this pitch, but soon the spinners were at work again and the game ended after an hour on the last day. It was Intikhab's first victory in four years as a Test captain. Mushtaq became only the second Test player to make a double century and take five wickets in an innings in the same match. The first was the West Indian D. Atkinson (219 and 5/56) against Australia in 1954-55. Pollard batted vigorously for 50 in seventy-two minutes.