Vettori's century steers Kiwis

Captain Daniel Vettori led the way with an unbeaten century as New Zealand took a first-innings lead on Saturday in third cricket Test against Pakistan. Opener Tim McIntosh made 74 before leg-spinner Danish Kaneria ripped out the middle order, taking 4- 119. But Vettori and Brendon McCullum (89) then added 176 for the sixth wicket.
Daryl Tuffey hung on to help Vettori reach his hundred in penultimate over of the day as Kiwis closed on 346-6, 123 runs ahead of Pakistan. The hosts began day two on 47-0, and openers had stretched that stand to 60 when debutant BJ Watling smashed Mohammad Asif to backward point, having made 18.
Kaneria trapped Martin Guptill lbw for 13, while Ross Taylor was left to rue a lack of patience when, on 21, he slog-swept Kaneria and a top edge sailed into hands of skipper Mohammad Yousuf who took a good catch at backward square leg. But McIntosh, battling to keep his pace after scoring only 37 runs in four innings in first two Tests, patiently grafted his way to a half century from 147 balls.
Picking up pace a little after reaching 50, he eventually became Kaneria's third victim after being caught by keeper Kamran Akmal, as was Daniel Flynn. The appeal for catch off Flynn was initially turned down, but Pakistan invoked umpire review system - and third umpire Simon Taufel overturned the decision after hearing a noise as the ball passed the bat.
The innings was intriguingly poised at 145-5 - but that was the cue for Vettori and McCullum to show all their experience in steadying the ship, reaching their half centuries from 62 and 63 balls respectively. McCullum, who survived an early appeal for a catch behind, provided one of highlights of day at McLean Park when he hoisted paceman Asif for a huge six over mid-wicket.
But he missed out on a century when he poked an Umar Gul bouncer to gully. Vettori rode his luck on the way to his fifth Test century, hitting Kaneria for six before the spinner dropped a sharp caught-and-bowled chance when Vettori was on 97. But Kiwi skipper, having justified his promotion to number six in the order remained at the crease and will look to press on when play resumes on Sunday.

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Scoreboard Pakistan 1st Innings

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Salman Butt b Southee                 9

Faisal Iqbal c Guptill b O'Brien      6

M. Yousuf c McIntosh b O'Brien        0

Umar Akmal c Guptill b O'Brien        0

Misbah-ul-Haq c McCullum b O'Brien    0

Kamran Akmal c Guptill b Martin      22

M Aamer c McCullum b Tuffey          23

Umar Gul c McCullum b Tuffey         24

Mohammad Asif c McCullum b Tuffey     0

Danish Kaneria c McCullum b Tuffey   16

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Extras: (lb 2, nb 4)                  6

Total: (all out; 64.3 overs)        223

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Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-39, 3-43, 4-51, 5-51, 6-90, 7-159, 8-194, 9-194, 10-223
Bowling: CS Martin 9-0-37-1; TG Southee 17-4-62-1; IE O'Brien 15-5-35-4; DR Tuffey 15.3-4-52-4; DL Vettori 8-0-35-0

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New Zealand 1st innings

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TG McIntosh c K Akmal b Danish       74

BJ Watling c Umar Akmal b M. Asif    18

MJ Guptill lbw b Danish Kaneria      13

LRPL Taylor c M.Yousuf b Danish      21

DR Flynn c Kamran Akmal b Danish      5

DL Vettori not out                  100

BB McCullum c F Iqbal b Umar Gul     89

DR Tuffey  not out                   13

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Extras: (b 4, lb 4, w 1, nb 4)       13

Total: (6 wickets; 106 overs)       346

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