Akmal brothers frustrate NZ

An impressive century from Umar Akmal on his debut helped spare Pakistan's blushes in Dunedin.

Umar and Kamran spare Pakistan's blushes

First Test Match
Dunedin
New Zealand 429 (D L Vettori 99, L R P L Taylor 94, B B McCullum 78, M J Guptill 60, Mohammad Asif 4-108) v Pakistan 307-8 (Umar Akmal 129, Kamran Akmal 82, S E Bond 4-99) An impressive century from Umar Akmal on his debut helped spare Pakistan's blushes in Dunedin. The tourists were left reeling at 85-5 at the University Oval after Chris Martin and Shane Bond had ripped through the top order. However Umar Akmal and his brother Kamran led a stirring fightback to help see Pakistan reach 307-8 at the close of day three - trailing New Zealand by 122 runs. Umar and Kamran put on 176 for the sixth wicket to frustrate New Zealand, who looked in complete control as Bond and Martin struck. Bond, playing his first Test in two years, showed he was back to his devastating best as he took three wickets in 10 balls. Mohammad Yousuf, Fawad Alam and Shoaib Malik all fell in quick succession to Bond after Martin had made the early inroads by removing openers Khurram Manzoor and Imran Farhat.

Blistering

Pakistan were on the ropes but the Akmal brothers came out fighting. Umar needed just 57 balls to bring up his maiden Test half-century, while he passed three figures in 132 balls. His blistering innings of 129 came off just 160 balls and included 21 boundaries and two sixes before he holed out to Peter Fulton at deep backward point off Bond. Kamran played his part in the innings, with a valuable 82 as Pakistan avoided the follow-on. New Zealand finished on a high, though, as Umar Gul was trapped leg before by Daniel Vettori for just six, leaving Mohammad Aamer (12no) and Mohammad Asif (0no) to see Pakistan to the close. Earlier New Zealand added just 25 to their overnight total before they were dismissed for 429. Asif picked up his fourth wicket as Bond edge behind for 22, while Saeed Ajmal finished off the innings by removing Martin for a duck.