Cricket: Kiwis edge in front

New Zealand 155 and 88-3 Pakistan 191

New Zealand edged 52 runs ahead of Pakistan with seven second-innings wickets in hand at close on the second day of the first Test in Lahore yesterday.

When poor light halted play eight overs early, the tourists were 88 for 3 in their second innings.

New Zealand conceded a modest first-innings lead of 36 after Pakistan, resuming from an overnight 52 for 5, made 191 in response to New Zealand's first-innings total of 155.

New Zealand batted more sensibly second time around with Bryan Young and Justin Vaughan compiling 46 for the first wicket. The stand was broken by the leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed who bowled Vaughan round his legs for 11.

Mushtaq also claimed Young for 36, caught by Mohammad Wasim off bat and pad for 59. Shortly before the close, the off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq trapped Adam Parore leg-before for 15.

The home side added 139 before they were finally dismissed 25 minutes after lunch, Moin Khan top-scoring with 59, his fourth half-century in 23 Tests. Both Simon Doull, with 5 for 46, and Justin Vaughan, 4 for 27, finished with Test-best figures.

Second day; New Zealand won toss

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings 155 (Waqar Younis 4-48, Mushtaq Ahmed 4-59)

PAKISTAN - First Innings

(Overnight: 52 for 5)

Salim Malik c Young b Doull 21

Moin Khan lbw b Vaughan 59

Saqlain Mushtaq lbw b Vaughan 23

Waqar Younis lbw b Vaughan 2

Mushtaq Ahmad c Germon b Vaughan 25

Shahid Nazir not out 13

Extras (b5 lb7 nb3) 15

Total 191

Fall (cont): 6-85 7-141 8-143 9-164

Bowling: Cairns 19-5-79-1 (nb2); Doull 16-3-46-5 (nb1); Harris 1-0-3- 0; Vaughan 12.5-2-27-4; Patel 7-2-24-0.

NEW ZEALAND - Second Innings

B A Young c Mohammad Wasim b Mushtaq Ahmed 36

J T C Vaughan b Mushtaq Ahmed 11

A C Parore lbw b Saqlain Mushtaq 15

S P Fleming not out 12

N J Astle not out 3

Extras (b4 lb7) 11

Total (for 3) 88

Fall: 1-46 2-59 3-85.

To bat: M J Greatbatch, C L Cairns, C Z Harris, *L K Germon, D N Patel, S B Doull.

Bowling: Waqar Younis 6-2-9-0; Shahid Nazir 6-0-19-0; Mushtaq Ahmad 11- 4-22-2; Saqlain Mushtaq 10-3-27-1.

Umpires: Shakoor Rana (Pak) and R Tiffin (Zim).