Peter Fulton was yesterday left ruing his indecision and New
Zealand lamenting a botched second innings.
Bad light intervened just after 7pm but not before New
Zealand had surrendered the initiative to Pakistan following
a dismal batting effort in which it slumped to 147 for eight
on day four at the University Oval.
Mohammad Aamer got the ball rolling with two wickets in his
opening spell and Mohammad Asif twisted the knife with a
stirring performance, taking four for 41 to help set up an
intriguing last day.
The tourists resumed at 307 for eight and added a further 25
runs before Shane Bond wrapped up the innings when Aamer
mistimed a pull shot.
With a useful buffer of 97 runs, New Zealand should have been
pressing for quick runs and contemplating a declaration.
Instead it has been left staggering and desperate to eke out
every last run possible.
Despite the batting collapse the test remains in the balance
with the Black Caps leading by 244 runs with two wickets in
hand.
On a day five pitch with variable bounce it might just be
enough if Bond can replicate Thursday's extraordinary spell
and Daniel Vettori can extract some turn.
Then again, if Umar Akmal plays like he did in the first
innings and Mohammad Yousuf gets established at the crease, a
target of 250-ish could prove easy pickings.
It should be almost as fascinating as watching Fulton dither
when he was given out lbw by umpire Billy Doctrove without
scoring.
He hit it, he looked like he knew he hit it, but he just
could not seem to muster the confidence to ask for the
decision to be referred to the third umpire.
Had he done so, Fulton could well still be batting with Grant
Elliott now.
Replays clearly showed he hit the ball first before it struck
his pad and as he hesitantly trudged off he kept glancing
around desperately looking for some guidance.
The team let him cool down for 20 minutes before asking him
why he had not asked for the decision to be referred.
"He wasn't certain whether he'd hit the ball," fast bowler
Chris Martin said.
"It was a very fine edge and sometimes you think you've hit
your pad or your boot or the ground."
Martin said it was team policy for batsmen to get some
indication from their batting partner.
"It is such a new format and a new part of the game that,
like most things, it's going to take a while to get used to
it and to get better at it.
I think next time if you've got a hunch you should pretty
much go with it."
While Martin said the day had not gone as the Black Caps had
hoped, the side was far from beaten and victory was there for
the taking.
"With the lead we have and the runs we've got now, the game
is poised and it's definitely there for us to take," he said.
"Anything over 250 on a wearing wicket with variable bounce
is going to be a big ask for them, especially if we do
everything in a disciplined manner."
New Zealand started the day well enough.
Martin nicked out Asif and Shane Bond completed his comeback
test with a five-wicket bag when Aamer mis-timed a pull shot.
But despite a handy first innings lead the home side quickly
found itself under enormous pressure with Aamer once again
wreaking havoc in the first over.
The 17-year-old dismissed Tim McIntosh with the first ball of
the test but this time it was Martin Guptill who fronted up.
Guptill saw off the first three deliveries but not the
fourth.
He got half a stride forward, was beaten by pace and a thick
edge flattened his middle stump.
His replacement, Daniel Flynn, had a short stay, trapped in
front for nought.
With the home side limping along, Ross Taylor released the
shackles with a hoick over square leg for six.
It was a shot of frustration and not the first time he has
tried to hit himself into form.
But it was also a fine example of what a splendid eye he has.
Unfortunately for a wee girl in the crowd, it left a golf
ball-sized egg on the side of her head.
Thankfully some of the sting was taken out of the blow with
the ice pack and miniature signed bat New Zealand Cricket was
quick to rush over.
Taylor's innings ended when he rushed off for a quick single
only to be sent back by McIntosh.
Khurram Manzoor hit the stumps from side on.
There was no repeat of the first inning heroics from Vettori
or Brendon McCullum.
Vettori picked out Fawad Alam at mid on after being dropped
in the slips, and McCullum edged Asif.
Elliott will resume today on 20 with Iain O'Brien at the
wicket with him on four.
