Cricket: Black Caps batsmen continue to struggle

Ross Taylor of the Blackcaps walks from the field after being caught out during day one. Photo / Getty Images

Same story, different day, as the New Zealand top order blew another opportunity on a good batting surface, handing Pakistan first day honours in the second cricket test at the Basin Reserve today.

There was a eerie sense of deja vu as New Zealand crept through to 246 for six at stumps, having won the toss and elected to bat this morning.

As was the case if the first test, the hosts got through their trickiest time for batting to be 80 for two at lunch, but things unravelled in the afternoon and it is now left up to the lower order to score heavily tomorrow morning, an all too familiar position for the world's eighth-ranked test team.

Wicketkeeper Reece Young, who is on 28, and captain Daniel Vettori, on 38, offered hope with a fighting stand and both look in good nick, but aside from their unbeaten 66-run partnership for the seventh wicket, the only positive to emerge for New Zealand was Ross Taylor's return to the runscoring circle with 78.

The 26-year-old had passed 30 just once in his previous eight test innings but he dug in today before flashing at a wide ball from Wahab Riaz, the first delivery of a new spell, to hand wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal his fifth catch.

Taylor mixed doggedness with the odd show of positive intent in an innings that lasted a tick over four hours, achieving his highest score since 138 against Australia at Hamilton last March and his 11th test half century, though he would have been disappointed that his hard work was undone by a loose shot.

"Missed opportunities," was Taylor's summation of the day after a team debrief.

"We've probably lost one or two wickets too many. We saw at the end there with the wind (the bowlers) are always going to get tired, and Youngy and Dan made the most of that. I guess the first hour will be the key in the morning."

He said some of the players had been unlucky, while others had "almost been bored out", perhaps indicating that the top order still has not yet grasped the object of test cricket. But they were hopeful of pushing on tomorrow.

"We just wanted to bat, to bat four sessions and we have batted three so far. It's going to be tough that first five to 10 overs with the new ball but if we can get through that then a score of 300-plus is very much on our radar."

The tourists were again impressive, the pace attack asking consistent questions in what were trying conditions with wind gusts of up to 85kmh, while left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman plugged away into the wind with good effect.

Akmal can be pleased with his day at the office, too, starring with five catches, though, by his standards, he was sloppy in other areas and conceded seven byes.

Opening bowlers Umar Gul and Tanvir Ahmed did most of the damage for Pakistan.

Gul trapped Brendon McCullum leg before wicket for two in the first over of the day, and on the stroke of drinks in the morning session had Kane Williamson caught behind for 21.

McCullum shouldered arms to the sixth ball of the day and was given out by Australian umpire Daryl Harper for two. The ball nipped back sharply off the seam and looked out to the naked eye, though television replays showed it was going over the top of middle stump.

Gul ended the day with two for 53 while Ahmed claimed two for 63 after taking wickets from successive balls soon after lunch to reduce the hosts to 98 for four.

He first had Martin Guptill caught behind by Akmal for 29, the opener's innings coming to an end after 97 balls with a bottom edge to a short wide ball.

Jesse Ryder followed next ball for a duck, his second first-ball duck in two innings, when he fiddled outside off.

James Franklin replaced opener Tim McIntosh in the only change for the hosts but batted at No 6, with Guptill promoted from No 3 and Williamson from No 5 to first drop. Franklin looked at ease in his first test since April 2009 but he was strangled out down the leg side by Rehman for 33 after two hours and 10 minutes at the crease.

Earlier, the tourists went with the same 11 that obliterated New Zealand inside three days at Hamilton to take a 1-0 lead into this match.

- NZPA