1st Test: New Zealand need 7 wickets, Pakistan 302 runs to win

New Zealand are seven wickets away from taking a 1-0 lead in their two-match Test series against Pakistan as pacers Tim Southee and Trent Boult struck telling blows to leave the visitors reeling at 71/3 at the end of the fourth day of the first Test here on Tuesday. And Pakistan need 302 runs to win.

The pair dismissed both Pakistani openers on ducks, with Boult sending back Abid Ali in the second over and Southee dismissing Shan Masood in the very next over. Southee then dismissed Haris Sohail to claim his 300th wicket in Test cricket.

Southee is only the third bowler from his country, after Richard Hadlee (431 wickets) and Daniel Vettori (361), to have gone past the milestone.

Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam then held on to see Pakistan through to the end of the day.

Earlier, New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Tom Blundell scored quick 53 and 64, respectively, as the hosts took a 373-run lead. Latham and Blundell put up 111 runs between themselves before the latter fell to Mohammad Abbas. Latham then fell to Naseem Shah, who then went on to dismiss captain Kane Williamson, who scored a masterful 129 in the first innings, on 21.

The Kiwis kept losing wickets as they tried to score quick runs and finally declared on 180/5.

Brief scores: New Zealand 431 and 180/5 wkts declared (Tom Blundell 64, Tom Latham 53; Naseem Shah 3/55) vs Pakistan 239 & 71/3 wkts (Azhar Ali 31 not out, Fawad Alam 21 not out; Tim Southee 2/15)

--IANS

rkm/qma