A well-crafted 80 from Corey Anderson has put the BLACKCAPS in the box seat on day two of their three day match against Pakistan A, with the visitors holding a 16 run lead at stumps.
In response to Pakistan’s 215, the BLACKCAPS reached 244-8 before declaring. The hosts then concluded the day at 13-1, leaving the BLACKCAPS with plenty of work to do to force a result on the final day.
Pakistan resumed at the start of the day with one wicket in hand, but failed to add to their overnight score. Ish Sodhi got the final scalp, getting himself a five-wicket-bag in the process and closing with figures of 5-58.
In response the BLACKCASP made plenty of starts, but only Anderson managed to capitalise.
The big left-hander joined Williamson (28) at the crease with his side 61-3 and after a cautious start he began to display his customary powerful shots. A couple of big sixes down the ground put Pakistan on the back foot, though the departure of Williamson in the 35th over stemmed the momentum slightly.
A 57 run partnership with BJ Watling saw the BLACKCAPS surpass the 200 mark, but three runs later Anderson was on his way back to the shed, his entertaining knock ended when he was bowled by Haris Sohail.
In typical fashion Watling continued to blunt the Pakistan attack with his rock solid play, while at the other end Tim Southee terrorised the Pakistani bowlers. The 25-year-old slammed three consecutive sixes in what was a short but spectacular 28 from 18 balls.
Not long after, Williamson called the troops in, leaving the BLACKCAPS eight overs to test the host’s openers. It was a successful move, with Neil Wagner getting opener Shan Massod for four, before light saw the umpires call stumps.
The BLACKCAPS will require early wickets tomorrow if they’re to push for a win, but either way Coach Mike Hesson will pleased with what he’s seen from his players out in the middle so far.
Day one
It was hot and humid for the BLACKCAPS on day one of their three day warm-up match against Pakistan A, but the visitors have made a positive start to their tour of the UAE.
Figures of 4-58 from Ish Sodhi 3-20 from Tim Southee limited Pakistan A to 215-9 at stumps – a considerable effort considering the same side posted 306-3 against Australia last month.
Having lost the toss the BLACKCAPS were asked to bowl first, but weren’t able to make any inroads in the opening 10 overs, though they did limit the hosts to only seven runs in that period.
The breakthrough came soon enough though, with Southee’s hard toil paying off when he trapped Sami Aslam lbw for three. Off spinner Mark Craig then followed that up with the wicket of Abid Ali (22), reducing Pakistan to 44-2.
Opener Shan Masood persevered following his slow start with the bat and was rewarded with a half-century off 135 balls. He went on to finish with 67, before Sodhi produced a peach to knock him over in the 57th over.
The young leg-spinner added to his wickets tally twice more, undoing both Babar Azam and Saad Ali to put the BLACKCAPS in a strong position.
With two overs left in the day, Southee extended his side’s dominance with two wickets in two balls, the second a beauty which just clipped the top of off stump. Hi hattrick ball had the batsman playing and missing, but it narrowly missed both the edge and the stumps.
Sodhi then capped things off with a scalp in the final over to put the BLACKCAPS within one wicket of ending the innings. A challenging test with the bat looms tomorrow.
Overall it was a pleasing first day for the visitors, who adjusted well to the harsh conditions and will now look to back up their strong start to the tour.
