Day 4 Round-up: Ross Taylor hit a return-to-form half-century to help New Zealand recover after Sarfraz Ahmed hit a fighting hundred for Pakistan in the second Test in Dubai on Thursday.
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Taylor was 77 not out for his 23rd fifty to help his team recover from a shaky 79 for 4 to close the fourth day on 167-6, having an overall lead of 177 with four wickets intact.
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Commentary (New Zealand 2nd Innings)
New Zealand lead by 177 runs! Ross Taylor has batted well for his 77 and looked a lot at ease against the spinners. He holds the key for the Kiwis, if they want to bat long and take their lead past 250. Win for them looks slightly difficult and they will want to make sure that they bat at least one session tomorrow to avoid going 0-2 down in the series. Promises to be an exciting finish. Do join us at 1130 IST to catch all the action. Cheers!!!
Overs - 30.2, Runs - 113, Wickets - 05. An entertaining session and this Test match is hanging in the balance with just one more day left. After gaining a slender lead, New Zealand started their second innings positively with Brendon McCullum looking in fine touch. But his wicket opened the gate for Pakistan and their spinners just took the advantage by pegging New Zealand back with some quick wickets.
The umpires check the light once again and decide to call it Stumps on day 4!
48.2 Z Babar to Craig, Fullish around off, Craig stays back in his crease and defends. 167/6
48.1 Z Babar to Taylor, On middle and leg, Taylor flicks it through mid-wicket for a single. 167/6
Mark Craig is the new batsman.
47.6 Y Shah to B Watling, OUT! Watling departs right at the stroke of stumps. Tossed up ball outside off, some extra bounce this time, Watling fails to control it and gets an edge behind. Shafiq reacts quickly from second slip and dives forward to take a low catch. New Zealand lead by 176 runs! 166/6
47.5 Y Shah to Taylor, Leans forward to a full ball and drives it through covers for a run. 166/5
47.4 Y Shah to Taylor, Gets forward to a full ball and defends it solidly. 165/5
47.3 Y Shah to Taylor, Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat. 165/5
47.2 Y Shah to Taylor, A bit short in length around off, Taylor cuts it through the line but finds point. 165/5
47.1 Y Shah to Taylor, Taylor has played that off the front foot and into the ground. 165/5
46.6 Z Babar to Watling, Watling shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot. 165/5
46.5 Z Babar to Watling, Landed outside off, Watling allows it through. 165/5
46.4 Z Babar to Watling, Tossed up ball on off, Watling lunges forward and defends with the full face of the bat. 165/5
46.3 Z Babar to Watling, Tossed up on off, Watling stays back and defends watchfully. 165/5
46.2 Z Babar to Watling, Outside off, Watling lunges forward and defends. 165/5
46.1 Z Babar to Watling, Tossed up ball outside off, Watling comes onto his front foot and defends. 165/5
45.6 Y Shah to Taylor, Wrong 'un around off, full in length, Taylor is on the front foot in defense. 165/5
45.5 Y Shah to Taylor, Flatter ball on off, Taylor defends it off his back foot. 165/5
45.4 Y Shah to Taylor, FOUR! Full floated ball down the leg side, Taylor goes down on one knee and sweeps it through square leg for a boundary. 165/5
45.3 Y Shah to Taylor, Beaten! Lovely delivery, a fantastic leg spinner, drawing Taylor forward and the away spin beats the outside edge. 161/5
45.2 Y Shah to R Taylor, Loopy ball around middle and off, Taylor lunges in defense. 161/5
45.1 Y Shah to Taylor, FOUR! Risky shot, almost drags it back on! Slightly short in length around off, skidding in, Taylor tries to cut but it takes the bottom edge and runs past first slip for a boundary. 161/5
Yasir Shah is back into the attack.
44.6 Z Babar to Watling, Played to the point region by the batsman. 157/5
44.5 Z Babar to Watling, Fullish outside off, Watling drives it to covers. 157/5
44.4 Z Babar to Watling, Landed around off, Watling comes onto his front foot and defends. 157/5
44.3 Z Babar to Watling, Appeal on the pads, Watling goes onto his back foot and tries to push but gets hit on the pads. The umpire says not out. 157/5
44.2 Z Babar to Watling, Landed just outside off, Watling comes onto his front foot and defends. 157/5
44.1 Z Babar to Watling, Tossed up ball on off, Watling covers the line and defends. 157/5
The umpire having a look at the light with his light meter.
43.6 R Ali to Taylor, Shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot. 157/5
43.5 R Ali to Watling, Room on offer outside off, Watling slaps it through point for a single. 157/5
43.4 R Ali to Watling, Hits a length ball through the line but finds covers. 156/5
43.3 R Ali to Watling, Digs in a short ball on middle and off, Watling ducks under it safely. 156/5
43.2 R Ali to Watling, Length ball on off, Watling stays back in defense. 156/5
43.1 R Ali to R Taylor, Good length ball angling away from the batsman, Taylor stays back and runs it through point for a single. 156/5
42.6 Z Babar to Watling, Tossed up and outside off, left alone by Watling. 155/5
42.5 Z Babar to Watling, Watling has played that off the front foot and into the ground. 155/5
42.4 Z Babar to Taylor, Full flighted on middle, pushed back past the bowler for a single. 155/5
42.3 Z Babar to Taylor, Another cut shot to a short ball but this time Taylor finds the fielder. 154/5
42.2 Z Babar to Taylor, Goes back and plays a late cut wide of point for a couple. 154/5
42.1 Z Babar to R Taylor, FOUR! Flighted full ball around off, Taylor gets on the front foot and thumps it with the spin through extra cover for a boundary. 152/5
41.6 R Ali to Watling, Length ball on middle and off, Watling tries to play but gets hit on the pads. Pakistan appeal but the umpire says no. The batsmen pick up a couple of leg byes. Misbah decides to take a review. Replays show it's pitching in line but would clip the top of middle and leg. Umpire's call. Watling survives! 148/5
Appeal for an LBW turned down. Pakistan take a review.
41.5 R Ali to Taylor, Length ball on middle, Taylor tucks it through mid-wicket for a run. 146/5
41.4 R Ali to Watling, Landed outside off, Watling guides it towards third man for a single. 145/5
41.3 R Ali to Taylor, On middle, Taylor clips it through mid-wicket for a single. 144/5
41.2 R Ali to Taylor, Full and down the leg side, Taylor misses his flick. The ball brushes off the pads and Sarfraz dives to his left to stop the ball. 143/5
41.1 R Ali to Taylor, Fullish outside off, Taylor drives it to mid off. 143/5
Rahat Ali back on.
40.6 Z Babar to Watling, Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat. 143/5
40.5 Z Babar to Watling, Goes back and punches a shortish ball to covers. 143/5
40.4 Z Babar to Watling, On the pads, helped wide of leg gully. 143/5
40.3 Z Babar to Watling, Skidding back into the batsman from around off, Watling pushes inside the line and edges it down. It goes on one bounce to the first slip fielder. 143/5
40.2 Z Babar to Taylor, Floated full ball on off, Taylor drives it to mid off and pinches a single. 143/5
40.1 Z Babar to Watling, Flatter ball on middle, Watling goes back and works it through mid-wicket for a single. 142/5
39.6 Y Shah to Taylor, Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat. 141/5
39.5 Y Shah to Taylor, Full on off, defended solidly. 141/5
39.4 Y Shah to Taylor, On the pads, Taylor works it to the fine leg region for a couple. 141/5
39.3 Y Shah to Taylor, Pitched outside off, Taylor pads it away. Sarfraz appeals but the umpire is not interested. 139/5
39.2 Y Shah to Taylor, Landed outside off, Taylor allows it through. 139/5
39.1 Y Shah to Taylor, Landed around off, Taylor comes onto his front foot and defends. 139/5
