Pakistan having snatched back the initiative from New Zealand, appear to have played themselves back in the game through a timely century by Sarfraz Ahmed, his third this year, as he not only took the hosts nearer to the Kiwi total but also in the process set a new last wicket stand of 81 against them in association with Rahat Ali.

A marginal 10-run deficit on the first innings, therefore, I felt was of little consequence when Pakistan took the field again to try and bowl out Brendon McCullum’s men for as little as possible and get hold of the proceedings to control the game from there on.

To a great extent they have succeeded in it, having snapped up more than half of their side by the time the fourth day’s play got over and that included Tom Latham and danger man McCullum.

What really kept Pakistan away from denting the batting line-up any even further was a resolutely disciplined demonstration of skill and technique by their most experienced campaigner Ross Taylor who hung on despite the odd ball getting more than marginal turn from the bowlers’ footmark.

On such a wearing pitch only those survive who use their feet to spinners and wait for the ball to come to them rather than go after it. Taylor in reaching his half-century was doing exactly that as he played himself in to take advantage of lose deliveries and graft his way to take New Zealand to a score from where his bowlers would get at least an outside chance to pressurise Pakistan when they bat for the second time.

A lead of 177 at the end with four wickets remaining could swell up on the final day today to 240 or may be more if Taylor takes up the role which Sarfraz assumed for Pakistan earlier in the day.

This is, indeed, a very interesting situation but I somehow feel that Pakistan having had a reversal of fortune in this match will not allow the opportunity to fly away from them if they bowl New Zealand out in the pre-lunch period, may be within an hour of play. That is what they will be aiming for.

Sarfraz thinks that if his bowlers dismiss the remaining batsmen for under fifty runs, a result can be a bright possibility.

“The wicket is not bad and still there are runs in it. We will wait and see how many runs in the end we are left to chase,” Sarfraz remarked . “First we have to pick those remaining wickets quickly in the morning.”

Sarfraz’s batting on Thursday no doubt was very much reminiscent of his outing against Sri Lanka in the last series played here. If not for his onslaught on the Sri Lankan bowlers in the final Test at Sharjah early this year, a victory in the last two sessions of the Test would not have been possible.

If a chase is on here on Friday, Misbah will no doubt once again rely on his attacking brand of cricket to achieve it. However, the twists and turns in this Test of fluctuating fortunes has a lot more for the taking for both Pakistan and New Zealand before the stumps on the final day.

Published in Dawn, November 21th, 2014