NAPIER: A fine counter-attacking century from opener Imran Farhat saved Pakistan from embarrassment as Iain O’Brien and Daryl Tuffey bowled them out for 223 on the opening day of the third and deciding Test at McLean Park on Friday.
In reply, New Zealand had reached 47 without loss at stumps with debutant BJ Watling not out on 13 and Tim McIntosh batting on 31.
O’Brien, playing his final Test match before he moves to England to pursue a career in county cricket, ran through the Pakistan top and middle order after Mohammad Yousuf won the toss and opted to bat on a batsman-friendly pitch. He finished with figures of 4-35.
The batsmen couldn’t convert their first use of the wicket, capitulating to 51-5 and then 90-6 before Farhat’s spectacular rearguard raised the hopes of the visitors.
Tim Southee broke through for the hosts when he castled Salman Butt for nine, before O’Brien got into the act, dismissing Faisal Iqbal (6), Yousuf, in-form Umar Akmal and Misbah-ul-Haq — the last three for ducks.
Farhat, unperturbed, continued his onslaught from the other end, bringing up his half-century after lunch. Handy contributions from Kamran Akmal (22), Mohammad Aamer (23) and Umar Gul (24) helped the left-handed opener to raise his third century in Test cricket.
No. 11 batsman Danish Kaneria‘s entertaining 16 helped the visitors raise their 200 before Daryl Tuffey finished off the Pakistan innings, finishing with 4-52.
Farhat, who recently returned to the Pakistan Test team after breaking his ties with the Indian Cricket League, crashed 14 boundaries and a six and remained not out on 117, carrying his bat through the innings.
New Zealand won the first Test in Dunedin before Pakistan bounced back to level the series at Wellington.
