He can't! Sohail has finished it off with another booming boundary. Why is he batting at No. 10? This is some tail that Pakistan have, it is hardly a tail. Short ball from Southee, angling across at decent pace. Sohail has figured out the short line of attack and pulls it majestically over the packed infield. Misbah and Sohail join hands mid-pitch and smile in relief. Majestic Misbah marches off with a masterly 93, his career-best score. What a finish. Pakistan 2 New Zealand 1. With two to play.
New Zealand vs Pakistan, 4th ODI at Napier, Feb 01 2011 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
4th ODI (D/N), Napier, February 01, 2011, Pakistan tour of New Zealand
New
PAK
Full commentary
end of over 4914 runs
PAK: 264/8CRR: 5.38
Sohail Tanvir14 (6b 3x4)
Misbah-ul-Haq93 (91b 7x4 1x6)
Tim Southee 10-0-70-0
Scott Styris 9-0-40-3
That winds up our coverage for this game, and I really enjoyed bringing you the action especially towards the end. On behalf of Abhishek Purohit and Sanjay Murari, this is Nitin Sundar signing off. Stay tuned for more on the site, and do join us for the fifth match on February 3. Cheers!
Who is that talking about cliques in the Pakistan team! Afridi is heaping praise on Misbah, and Misbah is returning the compliment. Between them, they have won Pakistan a couple of memorable games here and they will fancy their chance to close the series out in the next game. Sid Ravindran's final bulletin captures the twists and turns of this game. While you wait for that, do check out our Chrome extension and the ESPNcricinfo toolbar.
Apologies for my slip up - there are indeed two more games to play, but Pakistan will still look to close out the series in the next game.
Misbah is Man of the Match: "Things have worked well for me in recent times. The wicket was really good today, I enjoyed batting here. I enjoy playing with Younis, even during the Tests and other ODIs in the past. The teamwork is coming through - the skipper is doing very well, the team is gelling well. We have a good vibe leading to the World Cup."
Afridi: "Credit to the bowlers, keeping things quiet with the new ball on this great batting track. 265 is still not an easy total, but Shehzad started off well. The way Misbah and Younis took on the responsibility in the middle overs was crucial. Great knock from Misbah."
Vettori: "We were 40 short on a very good deck ... Lack of resources, lack of runs. We used up most of our bowlers by the end of the Powerplay, and asking Scottie Styris to come on in the end was a tough call. I am struggling with the hamstring, will take a look at it again and take a call. Nathan McCullum's form offers us a lot of options, and Franklin continued his fine form."
New Zealand's woes continue. They were inconsistent today - with bat, and with ball. They probably needed 30 more runs on this track, and better lengths from the seamers. Styris bowling the 48th over left them prone for damage in the end.
48.6
4
Southee to Tanvir, FOUR runs
48.5
•
Southee to Tanvir, no run
short again, but no room this time for Sohail to play the steer. He still tries, mind you. Too close for comfort and he misses. Through to Baz. Another dot. Can Southee end the over on a high?
48.4
•
Southee to Tanvir, no run
short ball, well wide outside off stump and Sohail looks to swat it square. And misses! Drama everywhere.
48.3
2
Southee to Tanvir, 2 runs
better length, but Sohail is alert to the situation. It is fuller outside off, Sohail opens the face and runs it fine for a couple to third man. Bennett barely manages to haul it in, and save two runs.
48.2
4
Southee to Tanvir, FOUR runs
boy, he can hit 'em! He can hit them with a straight bat. He can hit them with a horizontal bat. And he can hit them into the safest gap in the field - straight behind the bowler. This was short of a length and angling across Sohain who played an authoritative forehand slap back down the ground.
48.1
4
Southee to Tanvir, FOUR runs
and Sohail has smacked it back past the bowler with disdain! Length ball from Southee on leg stump, Sohail just drills it through mid on for four. Nobody moved. Vettori didn't have a chance, injury or not.
Southee comes on. New Zealand need to go for wickets here. Slip in place. Fielders everywhere. What a finish!
end of over 4811 runs • 1 wicket
PAK: 250/8CRR: 5.20 • RRR: 6.50
Misbah-ul-Haq93 (91b 7x4 1x6)
Sohail Tanvir0 (0b)
Scott Styris 9-0-40-3
Hamish Bennett 10-0-48-2
Paras: "Pakistani cricket is fascinating.. they can win a game from the jaws of defeat and also lose a game from the jaws of victory.. either ways, great stuff for a neutral observer!" Indeed!
47.6
•
Styris to Misbah, no run
and Misbah can't get the single to retain strike! Slow off cutter in line with off stump, Misbah backs away and looks to guide it through the cordon on the off side, but can't hit the gap. Sohail backs up a mile before hurrying back into the crease
13 off 13. NZ need two more wickets. Pakistan have Misbah on strike. Sohail Tanvir is the new man in.
47.5
W
Styris to Wahab Riaz, OUT
Oh Riaz! What has he done here? Short of length at friendly pace outside off, he goes down on a knee and looks for an ugly hoick across the line. The shot was so not on. He was so not in the position to pull it off. Top edge, balloons up to the right of Brendon McCullum who trots back and pouches it easily.
Wahab Riaz c †McCullum b Styris 0 (2b 0x4 0x6 7m) SR: 0
47.4
•
Styris to Wahab Riaz, no run
yorker, tight on off stump, Riaz can't do much with it. He digs it out straight to cover
47.3
1
Styris to Misbah, 1 run
and the single now, that's all they need from here. Misbah drops a length ball on off stump into the covers and turns the strike over. Can Riaz hold his nerve? He can bat alright. As can Gul, who is in next.
47.2
4
Styris to Misbah, FOUR runs
Misbah is taking it away! Fuller from Styris, but too full this time. Misbah twinkles away to middle and off and then drills this over wide mid on. Couple of bounces, four. What impeccable placement!
47.1
6
Styris to Misbah, SIX runs
and the length is awry, first ball. 110 kph off cutter, well short of a length on off stump, Misbah must have been beside himself with glee as he lined that up and blasted it over midwicket. Bang!
24 off 18. Despite Razzaq's exit, Pakistan have their noses ahead. The Powerplay has ended. Both teams will heave a sigh of relief - it yielded 45 for 3.
Scott Styris comes back on. The lines and lengths have to be SPOT-ON from him, at his pace.
end of over 477 runs • 1 wicket
PAK: 239/7CRR: 5.08 • RRR: 8.00
Misbah-ul-Haq82 (87b 6x4)
Wahab Riaz0 (0b)
Hamish Bennett 10-0-48-2
Tim Southee 9-0-56-0
46.6
1
Bennett to Misbah, 1 run
angled into the pads, Misbah times the flick well but finds deep midwicket again. It is a single, which means he will retain strike.
Wahab Riaz is the new man in, but Misbah faces.
46.5
W
Bennett to Abdul Razzaq, OUT
The game seesaws once again. Pakistan lose another wicket in the Powerplay. Bennett keeps it full, but not full enough to stop Razzaq. He gets under it and looks to launch it over the off side, but it hits very low on the bat and as a result, is scooped up high into the Napier night. When it came down, Vettori was under it.
Abdul Razzaq c Vettori b Bennett 23 (18b 1x4 1x6 25m) SR: 127.77
46.4
•
Bennett to Abdul Razzaq, no run
stupendous stuff from Baz behind the stumps. Razzaq backs away and looks to smear a short ball over midwicket, it slips through, under the bat and wide of leg stump before an acrobatic dive from Brendon to his left
46.3
1
Bennett to Misbah, 1 run
Misbah digs deep into the recesses of the crease to convert the yorker lengths into half-volleys. It was full on off stump and he managed to time the heave through midwicket, but New Zealand now have cover there
46.2
1
Bennett to Abdul Razzaq, 1 run
Razzaq backs away and slashes a short ball outside off through backward point. Another single.
46.1
4
Bennett to Abdul Razzaq, FOUR runs
a decisive blow. Full on off stump, Razzaq moves away and lines it up for the extra cover drive. Vettori at mid off wasn't too far away, but he hardly made an effort. He is clearly struggling with a hamstring niggle. Four to Pakistan.
One more over of the Powerplay to go. New Zealand's chances hinge on limiting the damage in this over. A good over here and Pakistan will coast home. 31 off 24. Bennett comes on.
end of over 465 runs
PAK: 232/6CRR: 5.04 • RRR: 7.75
Abdul Razzaq18 (14b 1x6)
Misbah-ul-Haq80 (85b 6x4)
Tim Southee 9-0-56-0
Hamish Bennett 9-0-41-1
45.6
1
Southee to Abdul Razzaq, 1 run
another near-yorker - at 132 kph on leg stump, Razzaq scoops it past the bowler to the on side, without much timing, for a single. Well bowled, Tim Southee.
45.5
1
Southee to Misbah, 1 run
Misbah hangs back in the crease and looks to heave Southee with the angle through midwicket, but can't make very good connection. There is cover in the deep, so just a single
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