Southee and Ryder crush Pakistan

New Zealand 125 for 1 (Ryder 55) beat Pakistan 124 (Misbah 50, Southee 5-33) by nine wickets

In pic: Tim Southee took 5 for 33 to rip through Pakistan © AFP

Shahid Afridi won the toss and batted. Daniel Vettori wanted to do the same. Both captains expected the drop-in pitch at the Westpac Stadium to have runs in it. Instead, Pakistan's batsmen faced a torrid examination of their techniques during an extravagant display of swing and seam bowling from Tim Southee. They were beaten innumerable times on both edges and five eventually succumbed to him. And the rest of the New Zealand attack, Hamish Bennett in particular, supported Southee by building pressure, giving away nothing. The outcome was a spectacular collapse that ended in the 38th over, leaving New Zealand with a modest target, which they overhauled with aggression.

The same sequence of events, with different characters, played on loop. A bowler pitched on a good length, the ball angled in before seaming away, the batsman fished, and if he was lucky, he missed. Pakistan's run-rate dipped below 3.50 after the second over and it did not reach that height again. Of the six boundaries that were hit in the first 30 overs, only two were the product of fluent strokes. Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, who secured victory in the Test series, struggled but appeared to be guiding Pakistan out of the mire. Then Bennett, a fast bowler built like an All Black, ripped through the resistance with a double-strike in two balls. Amid the uncertainty over the identity of Pakistan's World Cup captain, Afridi failed while his deputy Misbah, defiant at one end, watched his team-mates come and go. Allan Donald, New Zealand's brand new bowling coach, looked on with satisfaction.

When New Zealand came out to chase, though, the Pakistan bowlers were unable to recreate the trouble their batsmen had suffered. Their lines and lengths were not bad initially, but the lateral movement was negligible, and Jesse Ryder, hurting after one duck too many in the Tests, went after them. He drove, hooked and slashed his way to a rapid half-century, and in the company of Martin Guptill, set up a nine-wicket victory with 32.4 overs to spare. The result continued the trend of New Zealand skittling teams cheaply at the Westpac Stadium, and chasing with relative ease.

The afternoon had begun with Kamran Akmal threading a square drive through the narrow gap between two fielders in the point region - a false dawn. Southee's first ball was a wide outswinger that Kamran chased and missed. He then strayed on to the pads twice but wasn't punished by the openers. Southee was fine-tuning his line and length, and once he found it, he was swinging the ball into off and seaming it away. The one that cut back amid the outswingers only added to the confusion.

Mohammad Hafeez had struggled for eight scoreless deliveries before he poked at one that seamed away, edging Southee to Brendon McCullum. Kamran, who had shown patience and adequate technique for 22 balls, eventually chased another seaming delivery and watched Ryder leap to his left at point to take a sharp catch. Asad Shafiq was unlucky to be given lbw because the one that nipped back into him, after he had been beaten by several outswingers, hit him high on the back thigh. Southee's first spell was 6-0-16-3.

Southee was not without support, though, for Franklin, Jacob Oram and Bennett were tight. There was pressure at both ends and wickets from one. Younis and Misbah nudged around for singles, unable to do much else. Younis, beaten several times, smiled in the knowledge that today, unlike most other ODI days, would not be a batsman's day. And then he was late in pushing off the back foot against a quick one from Bennett and edged behind. Umar Akmal came and went in a jiffy, edging a rising delivery to first slip. Pakistan were 57 for 5.

They could have been worse off but Afridi's attempt to attack Vettori, a mis-timed loft to long-on, was dropped by Oram. Afridi was on 3. They were worse off soon, though, when Southee returned for his second spell and got Afridi to edge to McCullum, who leapt acrobatically across first slip to take his 200th catch. In the 30th over Abdul Razzaq, the last of the recognised batsmen, square drove Oram for four. It was only the second shot of authority of the innings. A ball later he hung his bat out to edge behind. Abdur Rehman did likewise next ball.

Misbah, rapidly running out of partners, took the batting Powerplay in the 35th over and carted Oram over the midwicket boundary for the innings' only six. He attacked Southee too, lofting over cover and driving down the ground, desperate to add whatever he could to Pakistan's meagre total. He got to a well-earned half-century, but then walked too far across his stumps to play to leg and was bowled. Fittingly, Southee was the bowler and the final wicket was his fifth.

Any hopes of Pakistan's bowlers triggering a collapse ended in the fifth over of the chase. Ryder took on Shoaib Akhtar, lofting over the off side for four, hooking for six and powering past mid-off in an over that cost 17. In the next over, Ryder carted Sohail Tanvir over mid-off and then swung a full ball over the square-leg boundary. New Zealand had raced to 50 after six overs, when the tea break was taken. Ryder fell after the resumption but New Zealand, steered by Guptill, stormed to an emphatic victory that ended a streak of 11 consecutive defeats. -ESPNcricinfo

Misbah, Younis set up drawn match and series win

New Zealand 356 (Vettori 110, Gul 4-87) and 293 (Guptill 73, Gul 4-61) drew Pakistan 376 (Misbah 99, Martin 4-91) and 226 for 5 (Younis 81, Misbah 70*)

In pic: Younis Khan's trademark flourish shone through despite the dullness of the proceedings © Getty Images

Pakistan weathered a hostile opening spell that reduced them to 42 for 3 in the first hour, worked their way to safety in the second session, and made a half-hearted attempt to win the match before settling for a draw, that gave them the series 1-0 - their first outside the subcontinent since the triumph in New Zealand in 2003-04, and their first anywhere since 2006-07. It was another impressive result for a team that has managed to hold its own on the field - with Test wins against England and Australia, and a drawn series against South Africa - despite facing a mountain of problems off it.

Pakistan's resistance was authored by heroics from Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan for the second time in the match, after Chris Martin and Tim Southee had hustled out the top three. The action unraveled at a furious pace in the morning before settling into classic Test match grind in the afternoon as Pakistan's determination blunted New Zealand's limited attack. The home side's woes were compounded by Daniel Vettori's disappointing show, on a pitch where even Mohammad Hafeez's part-time fare had turned viciously on day four. As things transpired, Pakistan adopted the path of complete caution, which ultimately left them short of time to push for a win against an attack that withered through the day, despite a late surge from Vettori.

New Zealand's bowlers began in stark contrast to the manner in which they finished off. Martin bounded in from wide of the crease and bent his inswingers into the right-handers, while Southee got his legcutters to straighten lethally. Their menacing rhythm crippled Pakistan's chase before they could find their bearings.

Taufeeq Umar succumbed first ball, as Southee got one to land on off stump, straighten and burst through the forward press to hit the back pad. Martin got the inswingers going, and mixed them cleverly to plant seeds of doubt in the batsmen's minds. Hafeez was conscious to push forward and negate the inward movement, but ended up groping for the ones that held their line. He guided one off a thick outside edge through the covers, and survived a possible edge off Martin that Rod Tucker did not spot.

Tempers frayed, and words were exchanged between Southee and Hafeez following a couple of pacy short balls that were dispatched to the boundary, but Martin plugged away without a fuss. Azhar Ali walked into a flick to be trapped by another inducker, and Younis barely survived a couple of deliveries that whistled past his outside edge. Hafeez eventually ran out of luck, as Martin enticed him to edge one outside off stump.

Younis overcame the uncertain start to settle down with an assurance that justified his enviable fourth-innings record. With the ball losing its shine, Martin's inswing disappeared, allowing Younis to pick him for boundaries him behind square, straight and through gully. Vettori held the key, but his ineffectiveness was epitomised by the fact that his only weapon was the quicker one that skidded through. Younis handled him with clear and decisive footwork, while Misbah resorted to playing inside the line with soft hands.

With the main bowlers failing in their opening spells after lunch, Vettori resorted to James Franklin who nearly produced the breakthrough. With the score on 108, Misbah nearly carved him straight into the covers, his only major error on a day of immense resolve. On either side of that blemish, Misbah was so efficient that he went by almost completely unnoticed. He only opened up with tea in sight, pulling and steering Southee off the back foot to take his side past 150.

Misbah's approach meant the spotlight was completely on Younis, and his trademark flourish shone through despite the dullness of the proceedings. His hallmark in the first innings was his shot selection, but today it was his fine judgment. Brent Arnel tested him with a slew of very full deliveries, but Younis played him out with unwavering gumption before capitalising on a half-volley. When the spinners - Vettori, Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder - came back in search of turn, Younis pounced on them, stealing five boundaries to leave New Zealand worried. His dismissal at the stroke of tea, edging a harmless delivery behind, was completely out of character and against the run of play, and it decisively altered Pakistan's approach after tea.

The final session was an anti-climactic period of attrition, with both sides more anxious to avoid defeat than to push for a victory. With Younis gone, Misbah secured the shutters he had already downed. Defending 114 in a minimum of 33.2 overs, New Zealand were not eager on a full frontal attack, either. Asad Shafiq was on a pair for 22 balls before opening his account with a six and a four through Vettori's open straight fields. He later unfurled a couple of pleasing hook shots when a tiring Southee hurled them in short. Misbah was not tempted so easily, scoring almost exclusively when he was fed on his pads, to move to his sixth successive half-century, three of them unbeaten.

Realising that Pakistan had shut shop, Vettori brought some fielders close in and removed Shafiq in the 84th over. It was the first time in the day that he had managed to look threatening, and it had come too late for his side. His loud appeals as the game sputtered to a close were in stark contrast to the unwavering calmness with which Misbah handled him. The battle may have ended in stalemate, but Misbah had won the war for his side. -ESPNcricinfo

Yousuf omitted from Pakistan's World Cup squad

KARACHI: Former captain Mohammad Yousuf will not feature in the World Cup after Pakistan selectors left the batsman out of their 15-man squad announced on Tuesday. "It is very disappointing to not be picked for such a big event especially since I am fit and playing in domestic cricket," Yousuf told Reuters.

In pic: Mohammad Yousuf

The 36-year-old veteran of 90 tests and 288 one-day internationals played in the last three World Cups. "Only the selectors can explain the reason to omit me because I think I have still lot of cricket left in me at the international level," Yousuf said. The Pakistan Cricket Board has yet to announce who will captain the side in the Feb. 19-April 2 tournament being held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The squad includes all the players who will play a six-match one-day series against New Zealand under the captaincy of Shahid Afridi starting this month. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram said he could not understand the wisdom behind not naming a captain. "It is a surprise to me they have announced the squad but not the captain. It sends out the wrong signals to the other players in the team," Akram told reporters on Tuesday.

Akram who played in Pakistan's 1992 World Cup-winning team and captained them to the 1999 final said it would not be a good idea to change the captain so close to the World Cup. "Regardless of how the team performs in New Zealand the captain should not be changed," Akram added.

The selectors did keep faith with 35-year-old fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who will be appearing in his fourth World Cup. Akhtar has been a regular feature of the T20 and ODI teams since last year and will lead a pace attack that also includes Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir and Wahab Riaz. Pakistan are in Group A with Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Canada. They will play their group matches in Sri Lanka.

The 1992 World Cup champions were eliminated in the early rounds of the last two tournaments in South Africa and West Indies. Their 2007 World Cup campaign ended in tragedy as their coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room a day after the team were knocked out of the tournament by Ireland.

Pakistan squad: Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Younus Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir. -REUTERS

Misbah, Younis give Pakistan slender lead

New Zealand 356 (Vettori 110, Taylor 78, Gul 4-87) and 9 for 0 trail Pakistan 376 (Misbah 99, Younis 73, Martin 4-91, Vettori 4-100) by 11 runs

In pic: Younis Khan was in fine touch before being undone by a poor umpiring call © Getty Images

Misbah-ul-Haq quelled a threatening spell of reverse swing early on the third morning, before dictating terms against New Zealand's seamers, to drive Pakistan to a 20-run lead as the wind subsided for the first time at the Basin Reserve. Pakistan's progress was based on Misbah's 142-run stand with Younis Khan, during which New Zealand's attack seemed to have run out of ideas. Younis' exit for 73 - the seventh umpiring error in the match, without counting missed no-balls - sparked a resurgence from the home side. After tea, they attacked with Daniel Vettori's turn and Chris Martin's bounce to skittle out Pakistan's lower half for the addition of just 52, including Misbah on 99. New Zealand's openers played out the last five overs of the day without damage to leave the game even at stumps.

Before their inspired burst in the final session, New Zealand were surprisingly subdued through the day, barring a lively opening burst from Martin. He began with a swerving bouncer that started well outside off before darting in viciously towards Azhar Ali who had to weave away and drop his wrists. Martin followed that up with a series of reverse-swingers before outwitting Azhar with another sharp lifter that was fended into the slips as it reared up outside off stump. Younis and Misbah also began edgily against the movement before easing into business with a series of sparkling drives as the sun came out and Martin began to lose his sting.

The ball, deemed to be out of shape, was replaced at the stroke of the first hour and reverse swing immediately became conspicuous by its absence. With the pitch not taking much turn, Misbah handled Vettori's drift by lunging forward instead of across and defending from inside the line. New Zealand's main variations had been nullified, and thereafter they were asking to be dominated.

Younis cashed in against a flagging attack, punching a short delivery from Tim Southee square and driving one that was too straight through wide long-on for boundaries. Misbah attacked his opposite number in the lead-up to lunch, pulling out a slog sweep and a lofted on-drive as Pakistan moved past 200.

Soon after the break, Brent Arnel opened with the new ball, running in for a friendly over that underlined New Zealand's lack of intent: it began with a wayward loosener outside off, and included a misdirected bouncer down the leg side. In his second over, Misbah guided Arnel twice through the cordon for boundaries. Martin replaced Arnel and got his inswingers going, but the horse had bolted by then. Younis punched Martin twice down the ground, the first bringing up his half-century and the second, the 100-run stand.

Southee put in a solid effort from the other end, and got the odd legcutter to nip away from the right-handers. Despite being beaten on a couple of occasions, Misbah had the presence of mind to play with soft hands, and his obduracy frustrated Southee who got into a verbal duel with him. Misbah responded with two calmly stroked boundaries through the covers to bring up his fifth successive half-century, and his fifth in six innings since taking over as captain.

Vettori was running out of ideas, and brought James Franklin on, seemingly with the intention of creating a rough outside the right-hander's off stump. Franklin promptly got a warning for running on the pitch, but Vettori began to pose some riddles from the other end. He eventually got past Younis, thanks to drift and a poor call from umpire Rod Tucker, caught close-in on the leg side straight off the pad.

Younis' exit prompted Vettori to finally go on the attack, and he looped them into the rough with fielders crouching close in. Asad Shafiq edged his fifth ball as it ripped away from middle and leg, taking the outside edge on its way into the slips. Vettori also had Adnan Akmal in some strife with well-disguised arm-balls before getting him to top-edge a sweep.

Martin stepped up to support his captain, and bullied Abdur Rehman into submission with bounce, with Pakistan still 22 behind. Umar Gul biffed Pakistan into the lead with a series of middled pulls and slog-sweeps. While the action unravelled at one end, Misbah chugged along towards a hundred that seemed almost inevitable.

He negated Martin's bounce by staying in the crease, and capitalised when there was width to pick up boundaries through the off side. With Misbah a run away from his third ton, Martin landed a couple of balls well outside off before cleverly slanting one back in, to rap him on the move in front of off stump. The innings ended soon after, Vettori finishing a wicket shy of becoming only the second New Zealander to make a century and pick a five-for in the same match. -ESPNcricinfo

Ton-up Younis helps Pakistan foil South Africa

Dubai,Nov 16 (AFP)

Younis Khan takes the applause after his match-saving innings

Younis Khan capped his return to Test cricket with a brilliant unbeaten century to help Pakistan draw the first Test against South Africa on the fifth and final day today. The 32-year-old right-hander -- playing his first Test since July 2009 because of an indefinite ban and differences with fellow players -- finished with 131 not out to take Pakistan to 343-3 in the first-ever Test at the Dubai Stadium. Younis's 17th Test hundred thwarted South Africa's pace-cum-spin attack as they managed just one wicket in the three sessions to leave the fate of the two-Test series on the second match, starting in Abu Dhabi from November 20.

Younis was ably supported by Misbah-ul-Haq -- leading Pakistan in a Test for the first time -- who scored an unbeaten 76 during an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 186, a new record in all Pakistan-South Africa Tests. The previous best of 119 was between Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla at Johannesburg in 2007. With scant assistance from the pitch, South Africa also fell short on fielding as they dropped three crucial catches, two off Younis and one off Misbah hurting their chances of a win. Younis brought up his 17th Test century with a towering six off spinner Johan Botha three overs before the tea break, his third against South Africa, as he continued to frustrate the bowlers who got no support from the fifth day pitch.

Younis, who hit four sixes and nine boundaries during his 230-ball knock, also added 82 runs for the third wicket with Azhar Ali who fell after making a sedate 63. Misbah, who was also on a Test comeback after being dropped from the team for the six-Test tour of England earlier this year, hit eight fours and a six during his 185-ball knock. Younis's innings highlighted the importance of his position in a fragile Pakistan batting line-up, exposed during team's 3-1 defeat against England on the tour ended in September. With his effort Pakistan achieved their best total in the fourth innings of a Test, beating 341-9 they made against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 1988. Resuming at 109-2, Pakistan had pinned their hopes on Younis, who also hit a brilliant 130 against South Africa to help Pakistan draw a Test in Lahore three years ago, and Ali. Ali was bowled by spinner Paul Harris before lunch after hitting seven boundaries during his dour 150-ball knock.

Pakistan had a lucky escape in the fourth over of the day when Younis, on 16, edged paceman Dale Steyn, but wicket-keeper Mark Boucher failed to hold a regulation catch towards his right. Younis also had luck at 73 when Kallis failed to hold a difficult chance in the slips, also off Steyn. Misbah was also lucky when Hashim Amla dropped a bat-pad edge off Johan Botha at short-leg when the batsman had made eight -- chances which helped Pakistan avert defeat.