Cricket: NZ bowlers keep Pakistan at bay

Pakistan 216; New Zealand 23-0

NEW ZEALAND were in a good position at the end of the first day's play in the first Test against Pakistan at Hamilton yesterday, dismissing the tourists for 216 with all their wickets in hand. The Pakistani total would have been much worse were it not for a captain's innings of 92 from Javed Miandad's after the top order failed.

New Zealand had an early disappointment with the captain, Martin Crowe, withdrawing because of a an injured finger. However, the stand-in captain, Ken Rutherford, made the right decision to put the Pakistanis in on a grassy, moist wicket.

His fast bowlers Murphy Su'a, Danny Morrison and Michael Owens found bounce and movement, and the openers, Ramiz Raja and Aamir Sohail, were back in the pavilion after three overs, falling to careless strokes.

Asif Mujtaba lasted only 23 balls, but Javed and Salim Malik steadied the innings before Salim was caught behind off Morrison for 14 to leave Pakistan at 69 for 4 at lunch. After the break Javed and Inzamam-ul-Haq, who has struggled for form on the tour, continued the fightback. However, Inzamam went when he mistimed a drive.

Wasim Akram then joined his captain for the best partnership of the innings, broken when Javed was bowled by Su'a just before tea. The wicketkeeper Rashid Latif steered the total to respectability, but Pakistan's cause was not helped by Waqar Younis being run out. Su'a finished with five wickets.

New Zealand now had to face Wasim and Waqar on a pitch that was still helping the bowlers, but although Blair Hartland was struck on the helmet by a Waqar bouncer, he and Mark Greatbatch survived the final hour.

(New Zealand won toss)

PAKISTAN - First Innings Aamir Sohail c Owens b Morrison. . . . . . . . . . .0 Ramiz Raja c Rutherford b Su'a. . . . . . . . . . . 4 Asif Mujtaba c Owens b Su'a. . . . . . . . . . . . .0 * Javed Miandad b Su'a. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Salim Malik c Parore b Morrison. . . . . . . . . . 14 Inzamam-ul-Haq c Morrison b Su'a. . . . . . . . . .23 Wasim Akram c Greatbatch b Patel. . . . . . . . . .27 Rashid Latif not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Waqar Younis run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Mushtaq Ahmed lbw b Su'a. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Aaqib Javed c Greatbatch b Morrison. . . . . . . . .1 Extras (w4, nb4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216

Fall: 1-4 2-4 3-12 4-45 5-87 6-158 7-176 8-202 9- 208 10-216.

Bowling: Morrison 19.3-4-42-3; Su'a 24-2-73-5; Owens 12-3-48-0; Patel 14-2-53-1.

New Zealand - First Innings M J Greatbatch not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 B C Hartland not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Extras (lb3, nb5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Total (for no wkt). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Bowling: Wasim 7-2-17-0; Waqar 7-6-1-0; Mushtaq 1-0-2-0.

To bat: * K R Rutherford, A H Jones, R T Latham, C Z Harris, D N Patel, A C Parore, M L Su'a, M B Owens, D K Morrison.