An ultra-cautious Tim McIntosh and cavalier centurymaker Daniel Vettori adopted contrasting styles as New Zealand dominated Pakistan on the second day of the third cricket test at McLean Park today.
McIntosh's gritty half-century as he fought to preserve his test career laid a solid enough foundation for Vettori to score his third test century of the year as New Zealand reached 346 for six by stumps, holding an overall lead of 123 runs.
Vettori timed his counter-attacking innings to perfection, erasing the disappointment of his 99 in the first test at Dunedin by tickling a single to fine leg to initiate brief celebrations an over before the close.
The captain resumes tomorrow on a neat 100 from 129 balls with Daryl Tuffey on 13.
Vettori and Brendon McCullum added vigour to an otherwise sedate day, taking toll of a tiring attack to share a stand of 176, a record sixth-wicket partnership against Pakistan that knocked the stuffing from an attack hampered by Mohammad Aamer's stomach upset coinciding with the taking of the second new ball.
Legspinner Danish Kaneria was also in the wars - breathing difficulties after lunch compounded by a cracked finger nearing stumps - and his pain was exacerbated by dropping a return catch from Vettori when he was on 97.
Kaneria had to settle with the leading figures of four for 119 from 37 overs.
The delay while Kaneria was treated threatened to leave Vettori stranded short of three figures but he eventually had time to coolly add to his centuries against India in Hamilton and Sri Lanka at Colombo earlier this year.
McCullum appeared to be winning the race to a hundred, before he was caught off the splice after cracking 89 from 103 balls, a cruel outcome after television replays suggested Umar Gul had overstepped the mark and no-balled.
While Vettori and McCullum provided New Zealand's afternoon delight, the value of McIntosh's 74 and even debutant BJ Watling's 18 could not be underestimated.
The openers achieved the primary goal of prolonging their first batting experience together to 26.1 overs.
The board ticked over at glacial speed but they posted 60, the first time a New Zealand opening stand has realised more than 50 in a test since Jamie How and Aaron Redmond's 55 against Bangladesh at Chittagong in October, 2008 - 13 matches and 22 innings ago.
They blunted a pace attack denied early wickets for the first time on tour and the benefits of their endeavour were apparent in the final session when McCullum and Vettori took charge.
Whereas New Zealand scored just 41 in the opening session at 1.64 runs per over, Vettori and McCullum scored at 5.12 over 34.2 overs to negate Kaneria's triple strike during the second session.
Kaneria limited Ross Taylor to 21 and then ended McIntosh's knock after 275 minutes and 187 balls when he gloved a sweep to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.
McIntosh, whose series aggregate was 37 at an average of 9.25 before this match, brought up the second half-century of his career with a perfect straight drive, the fifth of his eight boundaries.
Watling ultimately succumbed to a rare loose stroke to Umar Akmal at point after negotiating 69 balls, the series' leading wicket taker Mohammad Asif making his presence felt later than usual.
Kaneria, who briefly needed treatment after overusing hayfever medication, also continued Daniel Flynn's troubled series when having him caught at the wicket for five.
Like McIntosh, Flynn successfully overturned his leg before wicket dismissal when yet to score but the umpire decision review system then counted against him when Taufel detected an edge via the pitch microphone after Kamran Akmal demanded a second opinion.
- NZPA
Cricket: Styles clash thwarts Pakistan
Danish Kaneria celebrates the wicket of Martin Guptill at McLean Park. Photo / Getty Images
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