Cricket: Early breakthrough crucial for NZ

Daniel Vettori's next target is 59 wickets away. Photo / Getty Images

The job is all in front of New Zealand if they want to square their two-test series with Pakistan.

The tourists will start the third day of the second test at the Basin Reserve on 134 for two, trailing New Zealand by 222.

So it's delicately balanced and early wickets today are a must for New Zealand. But the pitch is looking good, as Azhar Ali and Taufeeq Umar amply demonstrated in the final session yesterday.

Umar will have been kicking himself last night, when he departed to the day's penultimate delivery, smartly caught low at second slip.

That was a bonus for New Zealand and lifted their spirits, after they had reached a reasonable 356 in their first innings earlier in the day.

"Another couple of wickets tonight would have made it really nice, but we're pretty comfortable with where we are at," captain Daniel Vettori said last night. "It's a big first session tomorrow. That's probably going to set the game up if we are to be in with a chance of winning it."

Much of that was down to Vettori himself, who completed his sixth test hundred - and third against Pakistan - last man out for 110. His seventh wicket stand of 138 with wicketkeeper Reece Young put New Zealand into a competitive situation, after several wickets had been squandered on the opening day.

Ali will start today on 62 and looked good yesterday. New Zealand's bowlers worked hard, but they needed things to go their way to press on towards developing a winning position.

Having Taufeeq caught at the wicket on 34, after four juggles, by Young only to have the appeal rejected by umpire Rod Tucker, did not help.

That took to six the number of contentious decisions on the first two days that an umpire decision review system would have resolved.

The unpleasant gusting winds have not helped umpires Tucker and Darryl Harper, but both teams have cause to be a shade miffed.

The Basin Reserve can be the most pleasant of viewing grounds for cricket in the country. It can also be among the least comfortable.

Yesterday, fielders chased caps to the boundary, the umpires clung on to theirs, and newspaper scudded across the outfield as the wind howled through the Vance Stand at the northern end of the ground.

Young made a good job of things, looking tidy and composed in completing his first test 50 in his second test.

Last man Chris Martin hung on long enough for Vettori to reach his century. There was a sense that Vettori felt the need for urgency once Brent Arnel came in at No10.

He smeared spinner Abdur Rehman down the ground for six to move into the 90s and duly got to his first 100 since December 2009.

Vettori faced 166 balls, with 10 fours and a six, and looked as if he had rediscovered his touch after going nine test innings without reaching 50.

Umar Gul, not for the first time, took the bowling honours with a wholehearted effort, which Pakistan needed, as lively left armer Wahab Riaz was missing through illness.

Tim Southee removed opener Mohammad Hafeez in his first over, possibly fortuitously, but Taufeeq and Ali worked the ball crisply around the ground.

The other issue for New Zealand to consider is they'll need to keep making the play. Pakistan have no need to put their foot down. A draw will do them nicely.