Cricket: Compelling test ends in draw

The Black Caps' Ross Taylor acknowledges his teammates after scoring a century on day five of the second test between New Zealand and Pakistan in Dubai. Photo / Getty Images

'Draw' can be an anti-climactic term in cricket, a four-letter word to describe five days of tussle and toil where, in the second test, New Zealand claimed parity against world No 3 Pakistan after their defeat in Abu Dhabi.

A seven-letter word like 'fitting' or 10-letter word such as 'compelling' might do the match more justice.

Pakistan were set 261 to win in 72 overs after captain Brendon McCullum's tactical declaration at 250 for nine. With the sun setting earlier as the Arab winter nears, he needed to give his bowlers as much time as possible to attack.

Being a Friday added further urgency. That is the revered day of the week in the UAE, and lunch is extended to an hour for prayers. With the umpires enthusiastic to get out their light meters all test, it meant the chances of bowling the full complement of overs was slim.

"I thought it was pretty fair," McCullum said of his declaration with one wicket left to fall. "There was enough in it for both teams. From our point of view we're trying to win tests rather than bat out more of the day. While there was no winner, it was a good advertisement for test cricket.

"I looked at what the opposition had done in the past [in the UAE], the strength of their line-up and the fact we'd need to keep them semi-interested rather than just coming up with a score willy-nilly. I didn't want to just hand it to them. We'd worked too hard to make a reckless decision."

McCullum's decision brought the best out in the game. As happened throughout the test, momentum oscillated across the day. No purist could have left disappointed as the New Zealanders went about earning Pakistan's respect.

At stumps Pakistan needed 65 more runs and New Zealand five more wickets with the game finishing five overs early. On paper it wasn't close to a result, yet the ebb and flow maintained intrigue. McCullum's field settings helped, too.

There wasn't a moment when he didn't apply an attacking mindset in the fourth innings, whether employing two short covers for Tim Southee, opening up the offside to tempt the left-hander Shan Masood against Ish Sodhi or giving Mark Craig a regular short leg and leg slip to the right-hander. Cricket needs that sort of guile.

"The test almost deserved a winner," McCullum said. "But I hark back to the 10th wicket partnership in their first innings. Sarfraz [Ahmed] did an outstanding job under pressure shepherding their lower order. But to win the toss and put on 403 away from home is also pivotal for us."

Ross Taylor led New Zealand's second innings, underlining his value as the country's premier test batsman with his 12th century. He joins John Wright in second-place on New Zealand's all-time list. Martin Crowe has the most with 17.

"It was nice to play an attacking innings and put the pressure back on their bowlers," Taylor said.

"I don't use my feet that much so I've got to find other ways of scoring. I was rusty after that first game but my confidence started to come back when I got 23 in Abu Dhabi."

Taylor ended his lull in test form by passing 50 for the first time in nine innings. He added 27 to his overnight score in a seventh wicket partnership of 60 with Craig. Yasir Shah eventually had him stumped for the first time in a test on 104.

Taylor played late and kept the shape of his batting plan by pushing into the offside and cutting behind point. It was the innings of a player with a sense for the big occasion. It is the first time he has scored a century in the third innings of a test.

Curiously, his next four highest scores in the third innings (76 v Zimbabwe in Bulawayo 2011, 74 v Sri Lanka in Colombo 2012, 59 v Pakistan in Dunedin 2009 and 56 v Australia in Hobart 2011) all came in New Zealand test victories.

Craig made 34. His reliability at No 8 continues to impress, as an average of 39 attests. Tim Southee added a cameo of 20 with three consecutive sixes off Zulfiqar Babar's final over before McCullum's decision spared No 11 Trent Boult wasting unnecessary energy.

Shah with five for 79 from 21 overs and Babar with four for 96 from 27.5 offered an incentive for Sodhi and Craig to use the deteriorating footmarks. The pair had their moments - and Craig's ability to get one to pop and snare Younis Khan for 44 will bolster spirits - but the best of the bowlers was Trent Boult with two for 12 from 10 overs.

"Their spinners probably tend to bowl quicker than what ours do, McCullum said. "That's not going to change overnight. We can't lull ourselves into being something we're not. Our guys still created opportunities but Pakistan are good players of spin.

Before this tour New Zealand had enjoyed two away wins against Pakistan - in 1969 and 1996 - both at Lahore. Their next opportunity starts on Wednesday in Sharjah.

ANDREW ALDERSON TRAVELLED TO THE UAE COURTESY OF EMIRATES