O’Brien, Tuffey heroics leave Pak facing the barrel on first day of Napier Test

NAPIER - New Zealand fast bowlers Iain O’Brien and Daryl Tuffey’s heroics restricted Pakistan’s first innings to 223 runs on the first day of the third and deciding Napier Test,

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf had won the toss and opted to bat, but outstanding bowling performance by O’Brien and Tuffey, with figures of four for 35 and four for 52 respectively, made the visiting batsmen struggle.

O’Brien removed the recalled Faisal Iqbal, then dislodged Pakistan’s batting axis - Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal - before they could record a run between them.

Yousuf edged a cramped cut to McIntosh at second slip to end an uncomfortable 14-ball stay, while Akmal gave Martin Guptill catching practice in the gully instead of leaving a short ball or plugging it through point, NZPA reported.

Four balls later O’Brien had Misbah-ul-Haq caught at the wicket - the first of Brendon McCullum’s five catches - to give O’Brien a dream analysis of four for three from five overs.

While, Tuffey cleaned up the tailenders.

Pakistan was helped by a single-handed effort from opener Imran Farhat, who carried his bat to finish 117 not out.

Farhat’s long overdue third test century enabled him to become only the fourth Pakistani batsmen to carry his bat through an innings.

In the 19 overs available before bad light stopped play, New Zealand reached a soothing 47 without loss, taking their side to within 176 runs of Pakistan’s disappointing total.

The series is tied at 1-1 after New Zealand won the opening Test in Dunedin and Pakistan levelled it up with victory in the second Test in Wellington.

Scorecard:

PAKISTAN: First innings

I Farhat not out 117

S Butt b Southee 9

F Iqbal c Guptill b O’Brien 6

M Yousuf c McIntosh b O’Brien 0

U Akmal c Guptill b O’Brien 0

Misbah-ul-Haq c McCullum b O’Brien 0

K Akmal c Guptill b Martin 22

M Aamer c McCullum b Tuffey 23

U Gul c McCullum b Tuffey 24

M Asif c McCullum b Tuffey 0

D Kaneria c McCullum b Tuffey 16

Extras (2lb 4nb) 6

Total (all out, 64.3 overs) 223

Fall: 14 (Butt), 39 (Iqbal), 43 (Yousuf), 51 (U Akmal), 51 (Misbah), 90 (K Akmal), 159 (Aamer), 194 (Gul), 194 (Asif), 223 (Kaneria)

Bowling: C Martin 9-0-37-1, T Southee 17-4-62-1, I O’Brien 15-5-35-4 (2nb), D Tuffey 15.3-4-52-4 (2nb), D Vettori 8-0-35-0

NEW ZEALAND: First innings

T McIntosh not out 31

BJ Watling not out 13

Extras (3nb) 3

Total (for 0 wkt, 19 overs) 47

Bowling: M Aamer 7-3-8-0, M Asif 5-1-11-0, U Gul 5-0-20-0 (3nb), D Kaneria 2-1-8-0 (ANI)