McCullum celebrates after scoring his 10th Test century
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum hammered an unbeaten 153 and spinner Mark Craig picked up seven wickets to stun Pakistan on the second day of the third Test in Sharjah.
McCullum and Craig were well supported by batsman Kane Williamson, who made 76 not out.
However, Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez deserves a lot of credit for scoring a career-best 197.
Starting out the day on 281/3, Hafeez and Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq only added four runs to their 121-run partnership before ul-Haq was caught behind off the bowling of Tim Southee for 38.
Hafeez went on to score a career-best 197, which came off 316 balls and included 25 boundaries and three sixes, before he was caught by Trent Boult at deep square leg off the bowling of Ish Sodhi.
Hafeez walks off after being dismissed for a career-best 197
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Asad Shafiq only made 11 runs before he was caught by Sodhi at backward square leg off the bowling of Craig.
Sarfraz Ahmed scored 15 runs before he was caught behind off the bowling of Craig.
Mohammad Talha failed to trouble the scorers as he was caught by Tom Latham at long-on for a duck to give Craig his maiden five-wicket haul.
Rahat Ali did not score any runs as well as he was caught by Ross Taylor at slip off the bowling of Craig.
Taylor brought up a personal milestone during Ali’s dismissal as he took the 100th catch of his Test career.
Pakistan were bowled out for 351 when Yasir Shah was also caught by Taylor at slip off the bowling of Craig for 25.
Craig was easily the pick of the bowlers with his career-best seven wickets, while Southee, Sodhi and Daniel Vettori chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Craig (right) finished with a career-best 7-94 off 27.4 overs
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Trailing by 351 runs, New Zealand got off to a good start as Latham and McCullum amassed a 51-run partnership before Latham was caught behind off the bowling of Rahat Ali for 13.
Following Latham’s dismissal, McCullum and Williamson took complete control as they put together an unbeaten 198-run partnership, during which McCullum brought up his 10th Test century and Williamson his half-century, before bad light ended the day early.
McCullum finished on 153 off 145 balls, which included 17 boundaries and eight sixes, while Williamson remained undefeated on 76 off 96 deliveries, which included seven boundaries and a six.
Williamson struck seven boundaries and a six during his unbeaten knock of 76
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Ali was the only bowler to take a wicket.
New Zealand ended day two on 249/1 and will continue batting tomorrow at 10:00 local time or 06:00 GMT.