Vettori, Tuffey reduce Pakistan to 161-6

Updated at: 1137 PST, Thursday, December 03, 2009

WELLINGTON: New Zealand claimed control of a rain and bad light-hit opening day in Wellington, reducing Pakistan to 161 for 6 by the time stumps were called 56 minutes before the scheduled close. Play began two hours and ten minutes late, owing to a wet outfield, and close due to bad light. In the 58 overs that were possible, New Zealand snapped an obdurate 60-run opening stand that canvassed 194 deliveries and triggered a familiar batting wobble that left Pakistan struggling. Daniel Vettori vindicated his decision to field by snapping up Imran Farhat and Mohammad Yousuf, crucially for a duck, in one over while Daryl Tuffey marked his return to Test cricket after well over four years with two crucial wickets.New Zealand were initially handed a double bluff, first by the weather conditions and then by Pakistan's openers, but roared back into contention by tea as play finally got underway on the first day of the Basin Reserves' 50th Test. Incessant rain over the last few days had forced both teams to practice indoors in the run-up to the second Test, and the wet outfield as a result meant there was no play before lunch. Overcast conditions, a pitch only just uncovered, some bounce and a little green quickly lulled Daniel Vettori into sending Pakistan in after winning the toss. Yet another ostensibly flimsy opening combination probably strengthened Vettori's logic, but more than halfway through a long afternoon session, as Imran Farhat and Salman Butt took Pakistan to 60 without loss, even the thought that Mohammad Yousuf would've also chosen to bowl was of little consolation. But Pakistan's batting limpness is only ever a wicket away, and three quick wickets left Pakistan 90 for three at lunch, and Vettori much happier than when he began. First up, everyone seemed to be in agreement that there would be considerable mischief in the air and pitch. There wasn't. Chris Martin's first few overs carried some swing, particularly his very first, but it soon went. Nothing moved off the pitch and the bounce was true and good. Daryl Tuffey, at the other end, looked precisely what he was: a man returning to the Test fold after five years. Not that it made much of a difference to the openers, as roused first as two turtles on valium. Both were beaten in the early skirmishes, but tellingly, both left enough and well. To be fair, Butt and Farhat offer more hope as an opening combination than many of the umpteen Pakistan have tried over the years in Tests. This is only their sixth Test opening together, yet already they have put on a century stand and now, two fifty-plus stands; by Pakistan standards. Until the next drinks break, Pakistan carefully solidified the case against Vettori's decision, Farhat driving here, Butt sweeping there. Post-drinks, however, New Zealand finally got with it, and attacked Pakistan with altogether more heart. Short balls from the faster men and Vettori's smart non-spinning variations were on the menu; Butt fell pulling and Pakistan's batting was suddenly opened up. Umar Akmal's promotion to one-down confirmed many sad things, bluntest among them that none of Pakistan's senior batsmen had the guts to front up at that spot; reports in Pakistan yesterday suggested that all senior batsmen had refused to move there, so Umar, presumably, was offered for sacrifice. In the event, he was a changed man, facing a torrid spell from O'Brien, who suddenly found some swing and energy. He owned Umar totally in an uncomfortable 20 minutes before tea, though wickets fell to Vettori's lethal arm ball at the other end. Farhat and Yousuf fell in the same over pickpocketed totally, and even a pair of sixes from Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar to bring in tea failed to hide Pakistan's batting jitters. Umar's slog-swept effort, in the last over, would've made for an apt two fingers to his senior colleagues.