Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

unforgiveable. why go for a risky third?

Shakeel gets his century.

Pakistan lose 6-23 at the end. Draw still favourite though.

Pakistan 408 all out

Shakeel 125*
Imam 83
Sarfraz 78

Ajaz 3-88
Sodhi 3-95

New Zealand 277-5 declared

Blundell 74
Bracewell 74*
Latham 62

Hamza 1-38

Target 319

Looked a generous declaration until those late wickets. Still risky though.

Does it suggest that captains have been watching Stokes and at least beginning to think about these things?

The Babar shout in the last test was a bit half hearted, as if he wasn't sure, but thought he might give it a go and then nearly stuffed it up big style

Certainly looks that way, DFM. One of the wickets was the nightwatchman, but it does look similar to Stokes' declaration at Rawalpindi, at least in terms of asking rate - 320 needed on the last day. Pakistan would have to bat at a higher rate than any innings so far in the match (although 90 overs have been bowled most days - light is either not as bad as when England were playing, or NZ get through their overs faster, which wouldn't be hard), and as pointed out when Stokes declared, no side yet has scored 300 to win a test in the 4th innings in Pakistan. Perhaps not quite as bold as Stokes', but still a gettable target.

Should make for an interesting last day, but given Pakistan's batting recently, I have New Zealand as favourites, especially after that 2 wickets last night.

I don't think the declaration was at all risky , really. 309 runs on day one - not as many on any of the succeeding ones. Unusual for the last day to see scoring rates go up - and although staying in on this pitch has been relatively easy most of the time , acceleration has tended to produce wicket losses. With the ball keeping progressively lower , stroke-making isn't going to be easy today. 320 in a day might be accessible for Stokes' England (might !) but not seeing it for Pakistan.

In any case , Pakistan seem to be pretty conservative in chasing targets. And if they did threaten at all Southee could simply get his fellows to bowl dry.

Two wickets last night not likely to lift confidence in the Pakistan camp either ; though I suppose they were not any of the big guns. Imam , Babar , Shakeel, Sarfaraz , Salman : can all bat. Most of them quite good at stonewalling. Expecting a lot of that today.

Imam goes. Looking good for NZ.

5 down now. When Bracewell is running through your lineup, you know you're batting like sh1te.

Sarfraz gets his century!

Wow. This is tight. Presume not long left too. 15 runs needed with a wicket in hand.

A draw! Bit of an anticlimax.

Pakistan 304-9

Sarfraz 118

Bracewell 4-75

Match and series drawn.