HAMILTON, New Zealand, 22 December 2003 — New Zealand could claim a slight advantage when rain and bad light combined to cut short the third day of the first cricket Test here against Pakistan, with Pakistan at 227 for four in their first innings.
But more probable is the prospect of a draw unless the weather clears considerably and the New Zealand bowlers can overcome their inability to bowl a consistent length.
The tourists’ hopes that Yasir Hameed would lead a strong fightback were dashed in the brief period of play after lunch when he played an indifferent shot to Daryl Tuffy, New Zealand’s most effective bowler, and was trapped leg before on 80.
Pakistan need a further 127 runs with little batting depth remaining to avoid the follow on after New Zealand amassed 563 in their first innings. But they can draw heart from the inability of the Black Caps bowling attack to sustain any real pressure, evidenced by the run rate of better than four an over for much of the innings before slowing to 3.72 as the light began to fade.
In the after lunch session, only 10 overs were possible before the players left the field and never returned, despite only intermittent rain and the use of the floodlights to counter the gloom at Westpac Park.
The umpires officially abandoned the day about three hours later with Inzamam ul-Haq on 38 and Abdur Razzaq on 12.
