Cricket: Flynn cool under Pakistani heat

Yasir Arafat bowls to impress in the absence of his side's senior pacemen. Photo / Otago Daily Times

A half-century proved elusive but Daniel Flynn yesterday still made a sound impression among the candidates auditioning for New Zealand's test cricket side to face Pakistan.

Flynn has been practically inactive since returning from the tour of Sri Lanka in August so the nuggety left-hander's 49 in Queenstown was timely as a dominant Pakistani bowling attack limited a New Zealand Invitation 11 to 234, a score inflated by wicketkeeper Reece Young's belligerent 75.

At stumps on the first day of the three-day match Pakistan were 14 for one in reply, with Imran Farhat on 10 and Fawad Alam yet to score.

Craig Cumming, Flynn, Tim McIntosh, captain Grant Elliott and allrounder James Franklin all had the scope to get a useful sighter of a second-string Pakistani attack yesterday as they push for inclusion in the first test starting in Dunedin next Tuesday.

Flynn, whose 50 in his last test innings in Colombo partially salvaged a tough debut on the subcontinent, solidified his position among a fragile top and middle order by occupying the crease for more than 2 hours after both openers fell cheaply.

He faced 102 balls, adopting a conservative approach with only three boundaries until he became the second of right-arm quick bowler Abdur Rauf's four-wicket haul.

Opener McIntosh also adopted a typically patient approach although with less success as he laboured 60 deliveries for 14 while Cumming's prospects of a test recall were diminished by a nine-ball two.

Filling a void left by an injured Jesse Ryder at No 5 is one of the key issues facing the selectors, and Cumming has not yet justified a return which would see Martin Guptill and his fellow strokemakers shuffle down a spot.

But Elliott also squandered an opportunity to be a straight swap for Ryder when he made just three before becoming legspinner Danish Kaneria's second leg-before-wicket victim before lunch.

The Invitation 11 were 73 for four at the break, before Flynn and James Franklin, who made 43, added 52 for the fifth wicket.

Young's 75 from 105 balls, including seven boundaries and a six, ensured the Pakistanis chased at least 200.

Pakistan's bowling display was ominous considering that pacemen Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul plus spinner Saeed Ajmal were not required in the 12 for the match.

Rauf was the chief beneficiary of their absence, taking four for 43 from 14.1 sharp overs.

Tim Southee, who is vying for inclusion in a pace attack alongside Chris Martin and Shane Bond, should the latter emerge unscathed from Canterbury's Plunket Shield match with Otago, claimed an early breakthrough when opener Khurram Manzoor was leg-before-wicket for one from 22 balls.

Meanwhile, Pakistan are expected to name Misbah-ul-Haq as a replacement for regular captain Younis Khan, who pulled out of this tour citing poor form amid claims of a player revolt. A decision is likely before the first test starts at University Oval.

- NZPA