 The third and the final test match between New Zealand and Pakistan will
be played in Napier on Friday. The series is tied at 1-1 and is a long standing
one in the list of ties between the two countries which have gone right down to
the wire. However, with the McLean Park in Napier having already seen most of
its games ending in draws, it should not come as a surprise if the series ends
at a 1-1 scoreline.
Click for Live Score Card of Pakistan vs New ZealandPakistan will be buoyed by the fact that the only two games that have had results
on this pitch have been in favour of the visiting sides - England and Sri Lanka.
In the previous game played on this ground, New Zealand did have the
upper hand after the Kiwis had piled up more than 600 runs and made India to
follow on, but India had then batted on for 180 overs to score 476/4 and the
match had ended in one of the more high scoring draws. Both the sides will hope
for a more sporting track, though, with the side as depleted of their main resources,
the Kiwis may not mind escaping with a 1-1 series result. Especially given that
the Kiwi batsmen have struggled wholesomely in this series.
Pakistan has had their issues coming into the previous test match with the
bat and in the field, and while their batting did reasonably well on a sporting
pitch, the fielding crept down to appalling standards. Catches were dropped
left, right and centre and in the end, it was a one man bowling effort from
Mohammad Asif that won the Pakistanis the second test match.
The New Zealand side, on the other hand, will be worried about the manner in
which their batsmen have come about. Peter Fulton may have been dropped
and BJ Watling has been taken into the squad, but that hardly assures much for
the side which has lost a wicket in the first over of the innings in three out
of the four innings of the test matches, and in the fourth innings, they lost
the first wicket in the second over of the innings.
The Kiwis will need something more from the likes of Daniel Flynn, Martin
Guptill and Tim McIntosh, who have all been tried around in the top three positions
of the batting. On the other hand, the Pakistanis will need their captain Mohammad Yousuf to continue with the rise in form that he had exhibited in the second
test match, while hoping that the burden on a new-comer like Umar Akmal is reduced.
Shoaib Malik's continual failures would be a thing to ponder about.
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