Wicketkeeper looks for Black Caps to make early inroads on day three
New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum believes the responsibility to forge ahead in the first Test against Pakistan lies with the bowlers.
The 28-year-old insists their performance is vital in capitalising on the advantage earned by the New Zealand batsmen in the first Test in Dunedin.
The Black Caps have reached 404-8 in their first innings, prior to bad light curtailing a rain-shortened day two at the University Oval.
Their lead was aided by a seventh-wicket stand of 164 between McCullum and captain Daniel Vettori.
The second session saw only 14 minutes of play, as the poor weather kept the players off the field for over three-and-a-half hours.
Lost time
However, McCullum is confident that despite losing so much time, a result is still possible.
He said: "There are still three days to go in the game and we've got a good, sizeable first-innings total, so if we bowl well then hopefully we'll give ourselves a real opportunity.
"The wicket is pretty good but it certainly does have a little bit in it if you bend your back.
"We've obviously got to strike them pretty early to give ourselves a real strong chance but we've got the bowlers to do it, so I think we can."
Vettori eventually fell for 99 and although he surpassed Shane Warne's record of 2,005 runs batting at number eight, McCullum said the all-rounder was disappointed to have missed out on a century.
"He's happy with the position we're in and he's obviously happy with the contribution he's made but he's disappointed to miss out on what would have been a brilliant Test hundred," said McCullum.
"He is certainly leading from the front."
