4
HAMILTON: Pakistan's left-arm attack of Abdur Rehman and Wahab Riaz ripped through the New Zealand batting line-up on Sunday to seal a 10-wicket victory inside three days in the first Test.
New Zealand's second innings lasted less than 39 overs as they were bowled out for 110 leaving Pakistan a mere 19 runs to win, a target they achieved in 22 balls.
The win was a much needed boost for Pakistan who are without leading players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, who are at the centre of a spot-fixing inquiry which has dogged the nation's cricket since last year.
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq said the win showed his side was not distracted by the ongoing anti-corruption hearing which is being held in Qatar.
“The team played really well in the last (drawn) series against South Africa so the confidence is high, and we just want to move up a step and a win a Test match here,” he said.
“For the last five, six years we have not won a Test series, and we want to make it good for us and win this Test series, so I think everybody in the team is focused on this.”
At one stage New Zealand lost four wickets for one run, collapsing from two for 60 to four for 61, after a baffling array of aggressive shot-making at a time when patience was required from the batsmen.
Captain Daniel Vettori lamented his side's “dismal” performance.
“It was just a dismal batting performance. Just poor decision making when you need that stability and need guys to stand up and be counted and we didn't get that today,” he said.
Pakistan, who resumed the day at 235 for four in their first innings, were all out midway through the second session for 367, a 92-run lead.
By the time New Zealand passed that target they were already eight wickets down, with most dismissals the result of poor decision-making by the batsmen.
Man-of-the-match Rehman took three for 24 off 15 overs with his left-arm spin, while pacer Riaz took three for 38 in an unbroken 11-over spell.
New Zealand reached 36 in 12 overs before the wickets started to tumble.
Tim McIntosh -- who had survived three close leg-before appeals and an edge to second slip -- was first to go when he charged down the wicket to Rehman, misread the ball and was stumped by Adnan Akmal.
Brendon McCullum reached 35, in a typically attacking knock which included five boundaries, before he was caught behind, although television replays showed the ball deflected off his thigh pad and not his glove.
New Zealand were unconvincing but still staggered through to 60 when their game fell apart completely in the space of 15 balls.
Martin Guptill (11) tried to sweep Rehman out of the park but top-edged the ball to Taufeeq Umar at midwicket, Jesse Ryder went lbw to Riaz' first ball, Ross Taylor (8) was run out going for an unnecessary single, and Kane Williamson (1) was caught by Azhar Ali at second slip of Riaz.
Tim Southee, who top scored for New Zealand with 56 in the first innings, reached 17 when he tried to hit Umar Gul over the boundary, but was caught at mid-on to have New Zealand eight for 90.
All the partisan crowd could find to cheer about was the batting of tailender Chris Martin, whose average of 2.47 is one of the worst in Test cricket, but he managed to make seven and reach his 100th Test run in his 60th international.
Pakistan had earlier looked to be in trouble at four for 107 in their first innings before Asad Shafiq and Misbah-ul-Haq put on 149 for the fifth wicket.
When they fell in successive balls and Pakistan were six for 256, Adnan Akmal and Abdur Rehman added 76 for the seventh wicket and put the tourists in front.
Akmal went for 44, caught by a diving Ryder in the gully off Southee and Rehman, whose 28 included two sixes and three fours, was out five balls later, bowled by Brent Arnel.
Arnel finished with career-best figures of four for 95 while Martin took 3-86.
The second and final Test starts in Wellington on Saturday.
