Pakistan's batting has been all over the shop at the World Cup.
They were embarrassing against the West Indies in Christchurch at one for four - no, not a misprint - and were 14 for two against Zimbabwe. Indeed their opening stands in the last eight ODIs are: 0, 11, 111 (against New Zealand at Napier last month) 0, 0, 3 and yesterday 10.
They have come to lean heavily on captain Misbah-ul-Haq, a player who, at 40, you'd think has done more than enough admirable service for an often dysfunctional team.
He's been on the international stage for 13 years, had his ups and downs with the game's administration in Pakistan - and he's hardly in a club of one on that score - but has got his test average up to 49 and his ODI number is 43.22.
There have been 40 ODI fifties, no centuries. He'll be gone after the World Cup. He will leave a substantial hole.
Yesterday, the UAE's modest offerings gave Pakistan a chance to get their eye in. However, opener Nasir Jamshed wasted it and his last four innings now read 0, 0, 1, 4. Time, surely, is up for now.
Ahmed Shehzad, not at his best and dropped at eight and 11, made 93, sharing a 160-run stand with lefthander Haris Sohail, who helped himself, more impressively, to 70.
Misbah and Sohaib Maqsood put on 75 in 53 balls and Misbah made it to 65 in 49 balls, and into the top 10 batsmen at the cup.
The UAE's bowlers were up against it and not helped by fielding of barely second grade standard. Indeed while the bowling was at least willing, some of the outfielding was embarrassing. Boundary sweepers? More like amblers in the deep at times.
The notable exception among the bowlers was lively seamer Mohammed Naveed whose first nine overs had produced one for 31, before 19 were taken off his last.
Left armer Manjula Guruge, a bowler with the unfortunately knack of appearing to run into the crease faster than his deliveries take to get from one end of the pitch to the other, took four wickets, and was on a hat trick at one point. It was his day, not Naveed's.
Next up the UAE have South Africa in Wellington, and end against the West Indies, back at McLean Park. This adventure could end badly.
Captain Brendon McCullum has been given the all clear to lead New Zealand in their fifth World Cup group A game against Afghanistan at McLean Park on Sunday.
McCullum, the leader and talisman for the New Zealand team with his attacking batting and assertive captaincy, took a fierce blow on his left forearm from Australian quick Mitchell Johnson at Eden Park last Saturday.
Although he batted on to reach a third half century in four World Cup innings, McCullum had the forearm bandaged.
"The swelling is going down. It looks a bit ordinary at the moment but he's batted today without any issues. He's fine," coach Mike Hesson said.
