Craig hopes for spin impact

Mark Craig, the New Zealand offspinner, hopes he and the legspinner Ish Sodhi can make a bigger impact on Pakistan's batsmen in the Test series that begins on Sunday than Australia's spinners managed in their recent 2-0 defeat.

Pakistan beat Australia by massive margins in both Tests, and exposed the gulf between the two sides' spin attacks in Asian conditions. Craig said he understood the magnitude of the test that awaited him and Sodhi, considering Australia's offspinner Nathan Lyon had picked up only three wickets in the two Tests against Pakistan, at an average of 140.66. In contrast, Pakistan's spinners Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah shared 26 wickets.

"To be honest I did see that Pakistan series but only in bits and pieces," Craig said. "Obviously Australia struggled to take wickets and it's going to be hard [for us]. It's important that we stick to our plan. Obviously there are a couple of good spinners with Ish and myself. Hopefully we can take some wickets and put a bit of pressure back on them."

Craig said the time the New Zealanders spent on the field during their drawn warm-up game against Pakistan A in Sharjah would serve them well ahead of the first Test.

"The good thing is that we have had probably 150 overs in the field in the warm-up game, so we have done plenty of bowling and the boys did well," Craig said.

New Zealand bowled a total of 153.1 overs over two innings, and their spinners were among the wickets, with Craig picking up a wicket in each innings and Sodhi claiming a five-for in the first. Craig looked forward to his partnership with Sodhi in the Tests.

"Sodhi is a very talented legspinner and he has got all the tools," Craig said. "He is a very exciting prospect."

Craig made his New Zealand debut during their tour of West Indies in June, and picked up 12 wickets in the three Tests, including eight in his first Test in Jamaica. Since then, he has toured England with the New Zealand A team, and said the experience has helped him grow as a cricketer.

"I am just happy to get a run and whatever way I can contribute to the team it will be great," he said. "It was another experience going to England with the A team and bowling over there and getting accustomed to the wickets out there."