Kiwis square series beating Pakistan

Kiwis square series beating Pakistan
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Napier, February 20: Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar limped off the field after bowling just 11 balls as New Zealan overcame a shaky start to defeat the tourists by six wickets in the second limited-overs international on Tuesday.

Chasing Pakistan’s modest total of 135, New Zealand scored 136 for four in 30.2 overs and levelled the five-match series 1-1. New Zealand’s victory was set up by medium paceman Daryl Tuffey, who claimed a career-best 4-24 after Pakistan was sent into bat on a sticky wicket under humid and overcast conditions.

Akhtar bowled just three more deliveries in his second over. It was Akhtar’s second comeback match after being sidelined for 10 months with rib and back injuries.

Akhtar struggled with the soft underfooting that had curtailed run-scoring, and appeared to land badly on a foot hole filled was saw dust. He strained the left quadriceps according to team officials.

Opener Adam Parore, who was dismissed first ball in New Zealand’s six-wicket thrashing in Auckland in the series opener, lasted three balls today and failed to score again. Wasim Akram had the right hander caught by Imran Farhatat second slip with just one run on the board - a wide off the first ball.

Abdur Razzaq, having top scored in the Pakistan innings with 50 runs off 113 balls, then removed Roger Twose. Fleming fell to Waqar with the addition of 15 to the total as New Zealand stumbled to 74 for four in the 18th over.

But Craig McMillan, not out 31, made the tourists pay for dropping him on five and Lou Vincent, showing great maturity in scoring unbeaten 33 in his fifth match, saw New Zealand through with an unfinished 62-run fifth wicket stand off 80 balls.

Pakistan’s total was its lowest against New Zealand in 54 one-day internationals. The visitors never recovered after a shock first ball dismissal of the experienced opener Saeed Anwar, bowled by a Tuffey full toss.

Tuffey, 22, also claimed the wicket of Farhat, skipper Moin Khan and Akhtar with the last ball of the innings. No.3 Razzaq batted for 37 overs and kept his end intact while the rest batting lineup capitulated with some lacklustre batting.

At 96 for eight Pakistan was in danger of being bowled out for 100, but Saqlain Mushtaq and Waqar Younis, 22 not out, added an invaluable 25 runs for the 10th wicket.

Harris with a career-tally of 159 wickets in 175 matches became the highest wicket taker for New Zealand in limited-overs internationals, surpassing Richard Hadlee’s 158 wickets in 115 matches.

Scoreboard

Pakistan: Saeed Anwar b Tuffey 0; Imran Farhat c & b Tuffey 4; Abdur Razzaq c Harris b Martin 50; Inzamam-ul Haq run out 6; Yousuf Youhana c Fleming b Vettori 9; Shahid Afridi c Astle b Harris 10; Moin Khan c Fleming b Tuffey 1; Wasim Akram c Franklin b Vettori 8; Saqlain Mushtaq run out 10; Waqar Younis not out 22; Shoaib Akhtar b Tuffey 3; Extras (lb-6, nb-3, w-3) 12; Total: (all out in 50 overs) 135
Fall of wickets:1-0, 2-14, 3-21, 4-47, 5-60, 6-63, 7-79, 8-96, 9-121

Bowling: Tuffey 10-0-24-4, Martin 10-1-37-1, Franklin 10-1-27-0, Vettori 10-1-29-2, Chris Harris 10-2-12-1.

New Zealand: Parore c Farhat b Akram 0; N Astle c Inzamam b Akram 20; S Fleming c Youhana b Waqar 28; R Twose c Moin b Razzaq 5; C McMillan not out 31; L Vincent not out 33; Extras (b-4, lb-7, nb-5, w-3) 19; Total (for 4 wkts off 30.2 overs) 136
Fall of wickets:1-0, 2-51, 3-59, 4-74.

Bowling: Akram 9-0-24-2, Waqar 7-0-27-1, Shoaib 1.3-0-12-0, Razzaq 6.3-1-27-1, Mushtaq 5-0-23-0, Farhat 1.2-0-12-0.