Second Test, Wellington, day four:
New Zealand 356 & 293 v Pakistan 376
Match scorecard
 Gul took two wickets in two balls |
Pakistan will need 274 runs on the final day of the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington to wrap up a 2-0 victory in the two-match series. They bowled out the Kiwis for 293, with pace bowler Umar Gul taking 4-61 for match figures of 8-148.
Openers Martin Guptill (73) and Brendon McCullum (64) put on 120 for the first wicket for the home side.
Ross Taylor hit 52 but the last five wickets were lost for 25 runs after Gul got the ball to reverse swing. "A target of 270 was probably what we were looking at in the day, regardless of whether we were bowled out or not," claimed McCullum. The opener looked to be making amends for his score of two in the first innings. He reached his 64 from 111 balls, hitting six fours and one six. Fellow opener Guptill looked in similarly unforgiving mood with the bat with 10 boundaries of his own. New Zealand reached 106 without loss at lunch but Pakistan returned from the interval determined to make the breakthrough and McCullum had only added six runs when he sliced a ball from spinner Abdur Rehman into the hands of Tanvir Ahmed.  | It's set up for what could be a great day of test cricket to finish off a test match |
Kane Williamson struggled to make 15 before he was caught behind by Adnan Akmal off the bowling of Ahmed with the score on 166 and Guptill was trapped lbw by Rehman before another run could be added. Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder saw the home side through to tea but Ryder (17) and James Franklin (6) went shortly afterwards, both falling victim to Mohammad Hafeez. However, Taylor stood firm and with Reece Young he added 60 runs for the sixth wicket. Young eventually became Rehman's third victim, caught by Azhar Ali for 20. Taylor followed him back to the pavilion without adding another run to the total. He was out lbw to Gul for 52 - a gritty innings notched off 101 balls. Gul then dismissed captain Daniel Vettori (1) and Brent Arnel (0) in successive balls and was only denied a hat-trick by a whisker, as an inside edge from Chris Martin flashed past leg stump. | 606: DEBATE |
Tim Southee did what he could to bolster his side's total. He smashed two sixes in his unbeaten innings of 22, before Martin became Gul's fourth scalp - caught behind for one. New Zealand seemed relatively content with their total of 293. "It's set up for what could be a great day of Test cricket to finish off a Test match," said McCullum. The opener also believes there is some life in the pitch. "I think we will hopefully see Daniel Vettori in full cry and us going on to get a Test win," he added. However, New Zealand's chances of bowling out Pakistan to save the series could be stymied by the weather, with rain forecast for Wellington on Tuesday.
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