Day Three
In Short
The BLACKCAPS completed a comprehensive eight wicket win over Pakistan in the first ANZ Test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Tim Southee (3-53) and Neil Wagner (3-34) finished off the visiting tail on the fourth morning, allowing just 42 runs to be added to the overnight lead to set the hosts a poultry 105 runs for victory.
Jeet Raval (36*) and Kane Williamson (61) put on a 85 run partnership to ensure there was to be no nervous run chase, with the target reached mid way through the second session.
Early shots
Sohail Khan (40 off 39) continued his aggressive stroke making early on day four. Scoring at better than a run a ball he quickly took Pakistan past 150 as he and Asad Shafiq raised their 50 run stand for the eighth wicket.
Southee strikes
It’s fair to say Tim Southee has looked back to his best in this Test, perhaps without the rewards he's deserved. He once again did a job for Kane Williamson as he made the big breakthrough to remove the dangerous Sohail Khan, who had helped add 29 runs early runs. It was the classic short ball sucker punch as Southee put one right on the tail ender’s nose and all Sohail could do was swipe it to Colin de Grandhomme at backward square.
Mopped up
Neil Wagner did his predictable bouncer barrage to take care of Shafiq for 17 - a quality diving catch by Raval in the deep, his fourth grab of the match. Southee then returned to claim his fifth wicket of the match as he had Rahat Ali caught in close by Tom Latham.
Kane all class
After missing out in the first innings, captain Kane Williamson was a man on a mission in the second dig. He showed off his vast array of shots, whipping the ball to the leg side at will in a polished 61 off 77. He’ll be dirty to have gotten out with just one needed, as he tried to sweep part time spinner Azhar Ali. Good to see the skipper looking at his ominous best.
What's next
The boys have earned a day off. Most are flying back to their respective series to enjoy some down time with the squad reassembling in Hamilton on Tuesday ahead of Friday's second ANZ Test.
Day Two
In short
Patience and precision paid handsome dividends for the BLACKCAPS bowlers who claimed six wickets in the final session of day three to seize control of the opening ANZ Test against Pakistan at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Possessing a 67 run first innings lead after being bowled out for 200 on the stroke of lunch, the hosts set about tying down the visiting batsmen before rolling through them late in the day.
Headlined by Trent Boult’s 3-18 from 15 overs and Neil Wagner’s 2-21 from 14 overs, the bowling unit reduced Pakistan to 129-7 at stumps, a lead of just 62.
Pakistan pounce
Resuming just 29 runs behind from overnight, the BLACKCAPS had a chance to pile up a significant lead. However, the Pakistan pace attack arrived with the tag of being world class and lived up to that billing in the opening session. With the pitch still lively, Mohammad Amir and Sohail Khan dismissed the established pair in Jeet Raval (55) and Henry Nicholls (30) and placed the BLACKCAPS batting line-up under pressure.
De Grandhomme keeps doing
Yesterday was the day of the debutants, with de Colin Grandhomme and Jeet Raval both making notable starts to their Test careers. After taking record figures of 6-41 de Grandhomme then received his first opportunity with the bat and made another happy memory, striking his first ball for four. The man they call ‘big house’ went on to make a brisk 29, before eventually being undone by a short ball.
A slender lead
Despite regular wickets from Amir, Sohail and Rahat Ali, cameos throughout the BLACKCAPS line-up earned the home side an advantage. A few late lusty blows from Tim Southee (22 off 19) and Neil Wagner (21 off 18) propped the total up to 200, giving the BLACKCAPS a 67 run advantage - not what they might have hoped for at the start of the day, but still handy on a tricky surface.
Wagner the lion heart
Need someone to run in, bowl with intensity and break a key partnership? Call Neil Wagner. The BLACKCAPS tireless third seamer broke the drought after the tea break, with his barrage of short balls sending Babar Azam and the ageless Younis Khan on their way. He also passed the 100 Test wicket mark in 26 matches, just one game more than the great Sir Richard Hadlee.
Survival
Pakistan’s survival mode was impressive, especially from Azhar Ali who faced 173 balls for his 31 runs. They started their second session at 50-1 off 35 overs, while the BLACKCAPS had bowled 46 maidens from a total of 121.5 overs across the match. Credit to the boys on the bank who sung and stayed vocal throughout some of those quieter overs. The above throat throttler was predictably from Neil Wagner and also touched the gloves of Younis Khan to send the Pakistani ace packing for two.
Boult’s bit of creme
Having bowled superbly all day and gone for little more than one over, Boult eventually impacted the wickets column in his 13th over, when he brought Azhar’s marathon to a finish. After skittling the opener’s stumps, he then took a wicket in each of his next two overs to return cherry figures of 3-18 off 15 overs. Patience and precision paying off for the BLACKCAPS premier swing bowler who helped his team firmly into the drivers seat of this match.
Day Two
De Grandhomme post day 2 of 1st Test v Pakistan
18 Nov, 2016
In Short
Colin de Grandhomme claimed the best figures by a BLACKCAP on debut and Jeet Raval was 55 not out after an action packed opening day of the first ANZ Test against Pakistan in Christchurch.
On a juicy Hagley Oval pitch, de Granhomme exploited the conditions expertly to claim 6-41 and help bowl Pakistan out for 133.
After some early wickets, Raval and local boy Henry Nicholls (29*) put on an unbeaten 64 run fourth wicket partnership to see hosts safely to stumps at 104-3.
Early News
After three unsuccessful coin flips in India, Kane Williamson returned home to win the all important toss and predictably sent the visitors in on the green tinged pitch. He also offered up a surprise in naming 30-year-old Auckland Aces all rounder Colin de Grandhomme in the side to debut alongside domestic team mate Jeet Raval.
Got em!
Colin de Grandhomme got things going with a peach to dismiss Sami Aslam above for the first wicket on 31. Great ball and a great snap by Photosport!
Colin who?
It’s fair to say this might be muttered by a fair few fans tonight as they take stock of his remarkable debut. Running in off a few paces and bowling mid 120 kmph, Mr de Grandhomme was too much for the Pakistani batsmen. His nagging line and length coupled with some out swing saw him claim four of the six top order batsmen en-route to his impressive 6-41.
Helping out
Although the innings belonged to de Grandhomme, Southee and Boult still played their part with two wickets apiece. Raval calmly claimed three catches on his first time standing at second slip for New Zealand, while fellow new man Todd Astle also got in on the act with a sharp one in the gully as the BLACKCAPS fielders backed up their bowlers to ensure Pakistan were rolled in two sessions.
Early havoc
Bowling on a seamer friendly the wicket, the Pakistan pace attack were a real handful early one. Mohammad Amir, Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali took care of the BLACKCAPS big three in Latham, Williamson and Taylor to have the hosts in trouble at 3-40. They bowled with pace and bounce and would have fancied themselves to claim more than just three wickets at stumps had it not been for a resolute stand by the two left handers.
Lefties to the rescue
Runs when they were needed most. Raval and Nicholls worked hard to grind back the ascendency late in the third session. Through a nice combination of patience and shot making, coupled with some good running between the wickets they managed to turn the momentum and put the BLACKCAPS firmly in the box seat heading into day three.
Day One
The opening day of the home summer was washed out in Christchurch as persistent showers blew across Hagley Oval on Thursday.
Despite occasional bursts of sunshine, the bad weather ensured not even a toss was made in the first ANZ Test between the BLACKCAPS and Pakistan.
The forecast for Friday is more promising and with play set to start half an hour earlier each day there is still plenty of time for a result in the match according to batting coach Craig McMillan.
