Cricket: Pakistan lifted by Basit's batting

Pakistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .344

New Zealand

A PECULIAR first day's play ended with Pakistan on 334 for 7 in the third Test here, thanks to a curious mix of an innings by Basit Ali. In the first two hours, New Zealand bowled and fielded so badly that Pakistan scored 120 for 0. Between lunch and tea they took five wickets for 87 before more dropped catches let Pakistan escape in the evening.

The tone was set by the first ball. Saeed Anwar pulled Danny Morrison low to Ken Rutherford's injured left hand at mid-on and was dropped. On two, Sohail should have been caught behind.

New Zealand were transformed after lunch. Saeed was caught at slip trying to play Simon Doull to leg, and at 147 Sohail cut Doull to gully. Atif Rauf was caught at slip, Salim Malik was bowled between bat and pad by the left-arm spinner, Matthew Hart, and Inzamam, playing forward, edged Doull to slip.

After tea, Basit, who had started with a rush, became more cautious. He was dropped three times during the day: at first slip when 39, at midwicket when 70, and at square cover when 97.

Basit, who ended the first day on 98, added only five runs during the first session yesterday as Pakistan were all out for 344.

(Second day: New Zealand won toss)

PAKISTAN - First innings

Saeed Anwar c Young b Doull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Aamir Sohail c Hartland b Doull. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Atif Rauf c Greatbatch b Morrison. . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 * Salim Malik b Hart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Basit Ali c Harland b Pringle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Inzamam ul-Haq c Greatbatch b Doull. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Rashid Latif c Hartland b Thomson. . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Wasim Akram c Greatbatch b Morrsion. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Akram Raza not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Waqar Younis c Doull b Morrison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Aamir Nazir b Morrison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 Extras (lb6 w1 nb3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .344

Fall: 1-125 2-147 3-159 4-195 5-206 6-254 7-261 8-339 9-344.

Bowling: Morrison 24-3-105-4 (nb1); Doull 25-3-93-3 (nb2); Pringle 33-6-83-1 (w1); Hart 9-2-37-1; Thomson 6-0-20-1.