MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand, Dec 30, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Pakistan’s Fawad
Alam and Mohammad Rizwan defied New Zealand with an absorbing century stand
to take the first Test into a final-session showdown on Wednesday.
At tea on day five, Alam was unbeaten on 94, Rizwan was on 45 and Pakistan
were 215 for four, setting up a potentially gripping finish.
With 36 overs remaining, Pakistan need 158 to win while New Zealand need
six more wickets. A draw would all but end New Zealand’s chance of making the
World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June.
Alam and Rizwan have added 140 in 52 overs for the fifth wicket.
It is Alam’s second highest score as he at last showed the promise expected
of him after struggling since his recall against England in August after 11
years in the Test wilderness.
After a few anxious moments at the start of his innings the left-hander
found his rhythm as he worked the ball through the field, bringing up his 50
off 149 deliveries with a single through midwicket.
New Zealand’s strike pair Tim Southee and Trent Boult had seven overs with
the new ball late in the middle session but while there were close shaves,
there were no serious threats on a pitch not offering as much bounce
variation as expected.
When Kyle Jamieson replaced Boult there was a loud appeal to have Rizwan
caught at first slip but replays showed it was a bump ball.
Jamieson had earlier been tasked with using up the old ball along with
Mitchell Santner and Neil Wagner for the first 15 overs after lunch, with
Kane Williamson also sending down two overs in his first bowl for more than a
year.
It was a period of containment where they restricted the run flow, but the
nearest they came to a wicket was an inside edge from Alam off Jamieson that
narrowly missed leg stump.