Lunch Pakistan 377 for 8 (Babar 161, Salman 54*, Hamza 0*, Southee 2-58) vs New Zealand
Babar, who had resumed the day on 161, couldn’t add to his overnight score as he edged behind to give New Zealand the first of three wickets to fall. Southee did well to drag his line closer to off stump and to pull his length back, after the second and third deliveries of the 91st over were bowled full and wide outside off. Babar went to push the next delivery, which was on a good length and in the channel outside off, only for a faint outside edge to be gobbled behind by Tom Blundell.
And it was Salman who broke the drought, when he pushed Patel for a single to start the 100th over, but Nauman was still content to keep defending and shielding Patel and Michael Bracewell, who had replaced Southee after a four-over spell. Nauman had got a single to get off the mark off the sixth delivery he faced, only to next score off his 48th when he slog swept Patel for four to deep square leg.
But New Zealand finally broke the frustrating stand of 54 which took more than 26 overs, when Neil Wagner, brought into the attack with the short-ball ploy in mind, sent Nauman back just before lunch. Bracewell at square leg plucked a catch leaping to his left as Nauman tried to pull a rising short delivery, before Sodhi got his first Test wicket in four years when Mohammad Wasim tried a funky scoop shot to a short ball, only for the ball to pop up and into Blundell’s gloves.
Salman ended unbeaten on 54, as Pakistan will hope he can push them beyond 400 in the company of the tail.
Himanshu Agrawal is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Source: ESPN Crickinfo