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26 Sports Tuesday, November 20, 2018 Patel spins NZ to thrilling win in first Test over Pakistan New Zealand bowlers pull off a gripping four-run win ABU DHABI: Debutant spinner Ajaz Patel took five SCOREBOARD wickets to lead a never-say-die approach from New Zealand bowlers as they pulled off a thrilling four-run Scoreboard on the fourth day of the first Test win over an indisciplined Pakistan in the first Test in Abu between Pakistan and New Zealand at Sheikh Zayed Dhabi yesterday. Stadium yesterday: Defending a modest 176-run target, New Zealand bowlers led by Patel (5-59), fast bowler Neil Wagner (2- New Zealand first innings 153 (K.Williamson 63, H. Nicholls 28; 27) and Ish Sodhi (2-37) bowled out Pakistan for 171 on Yasir Shah 3-54) a drama-packed fourth day at Sheikh Zayed Stadium. It is the fifth smallest win in terms of runs in Test Pakistan first innings 227 (Babar Azam 62, Asad Shafiq 43; T. cricket history and gives New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the Boult 4-54) three-match series. “The attitude, certainly today and New Zealand 2nd innings 249 (BJ Watling 59, H. Nicholls 55, throughout the game, was brilliant,” said New Zealand Hasan Ali 5-45, Yasir Shah 5-110) captain Kane Williamson who now has nine wins in his 18 Tests in charge. “How those two bowlers Ajaz and Wagner bowled, Pakistan 2nd innings (overnight 37-0) for almost 20 overs, was brilliant. We knew the surface Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Patel 27 was not an easy one. There was considerable turn from Mohammad Hafeez c de Grandhomme b Sodhi 10 day one and all the spinners bowled well.” Azhar Ali fought a lone battle for Pakistan with 65 Azhar Ali lbw b Patel 65 and was the last man out when he was trapped leg- Haris Sohail c & b Sodhi 4 before wicket by Patel. He reviewed Bruce Oxenford’s Asad Shafiq c Watling b Wagner 45 decision but the television replays upheld the decision. Babar Azam run out 13 Resuming on 37 without loss, Pakistan began the day as favourites to chase down the 176 they needed for Sarfraz Ahmed c Watling b Patel 3 victory although New Zealand will have taken some Bilal Asif b Patel 0 ABU DHABI: New Zealand cricketers celebrate after beating Pakistan in the first Test cricket match between hope from Pakistan’s failure at the same ground last year Pakistan and New Zealand at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday. — AFP Yasir Shah c Taylor b Wagner 0 to chase 136 against Sri Lanka. Hasan Ali c sub (Southee) b Patel 0 Kiwi spinners Patel and Ish Sodhi opened the bowl- Mohammad Abbas not out 0 ing and immediately caused problems as Pakistan lost before lunch, edging Neil Wagner to wicketkeeper BJ attempted a slog-sweep off Patel, picking out substitute three wickets in the first six overs. Watling, changed the game as Pakistan lost their final fielder Tim Southee on the midwicket boundary. Extras: (b 4) 4 Imam-ul-Haq was trapped leg-before for 27 to a full seven wickets for just 41. Azhar then tried to inch Pakistan across the line, Total: (all out; 58.4 overs) 171 length ball by left-arm spinner Patel in the fifth over. In After lunch, Babar Azam ran himself out for 13, the farming the strike from Mohammad Abbas. But with five Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Imam), 2-44 (Hafeez), 3-48 (Sohail), 4-130 the sixth, Sodhi had Mohammad Hafeez caught in the guilty party in a mix-up with Azhar and skipper Sarfraz runs still needed to win Patel found the delivery to win (Shafiq), 5-147 (Azam), 6-154 (Sarfraz), 7-154 (Asif), 8-155 covers and then three balls later held on to a return Ahmed fell for a second time sweeping Patel, this time the match for New Zealand. catch low to his left as Haris Sohail drove a full toss back gloving the ball to Watling. “We didn’t get a good start to the day,” said Pakistan (Yasir), 9-164 (Hasan) at him. Pakistani nerves were eased by the sight of Bilal Asif tried to slog a straight ball from Patel and captain Sarfraz. “Azhar and Shafiq put in a good stand Bowling: Boult 7-0-29-0, de Grandhomme 3-0-15-0, Patel Azhar and Asad Shafiq carefully rebuilding the innings was bowled leaving Pakistan 154 for seven, still 22 runs but then the collapse was really disappointing. You have 23.4-4-59-5, Sodhi 12-0-37-2, Wagner 13-4-27-2 with a fourth wicket partnership of 82. Shafiq made a short of victory. The earlier measure at the crease had to give credit to Ajaz as well.” The second Test starts in Result: New Zealand won by four runs. cultured 45, becoming the 11th Pakistani to reach 4,000 been replaced by chaos. In the next over Wagner had Dubai from Saturday while the third and final, again in runs in Test cricket, but his dismissal in the last over Yasir Shah caught in the slips and then Hasan Ali Abu Dhabi from December 3. — AFP India prepared for Dottin leads West extra pace, bounce Indies to tense in Australia: Rohit victory over England BRISBANE: India have the quality and confidence in their batting ranks to master the extra pace and bounce on Australian wickets and excel across formats, bats- GROS ISLET: Deandra Dottin produced a brilliant all- man Rohit Sharma said yesterday. India have never won round display as the West Indies clinched a nervy four- a Test series Down Under but fancy their chances wicket victory over England in St Lucia on Sunday to against an Australian team yet to recover from a ball- finish top of Group A at the Women’s World Twenty20. tampering scandal that led to bans for former captain The hosts and reigning champions will face Group B Steve Smith, opener David Warner and batsman runners-up Australia in the first semi-final on Thursday, Cameron Bancroft. with England to play India on Friday looking to repeat “This is one place we want to leave our mark on and their World Cup final triumph over Harmanpreet Kaur’s do well as an unit,” Rohit told reporters in Brisbane side from last year. where the three-match Twenty20 series kicks off England slipped to 50-6 after 10.5 overs batting tomorrow. “The last time we came here there were a first, before a 58-run partnership for the seventh wicket few close games. We want to make it count this time between Sophia Dunkley and Anya Shrubsole helped around. There is real good feeling in the group across them towards a decent total. But Dottin, who finished with figures of 2-21, dismissed Dunkley before snaring all three formats. The motive of the team is to try and CHENNAI: File photo shows Indian T20 cricket captain Rohit Sharma (R) and teammate Yuzvendra Chahal (L) Shrubsole with an excellent catch off the bowling of seize all the moments and try and win. celebrate after taking the wicket of West Indies cricketer Shimron Hetmeyer during the third T20 cricket match captain Stafanie Taylor. Two early wickets put the pres- “When you do well in places like Australia you feel between India and West Indies. —AFP sure on the Windies in their chase, but Dottin’s 46 good as a team. Thinking about the World Cup ahead steadied the ship and Shemaine Campbelle struck 45. it can only give you confidence winning in places like “The bowling has given me the most pleasure, but Australia.” The Twenty20 Internationals will be fol- Brisbane but not Perth. after being dropped following modest returns in South I’m enjoying the batting as well,” said the 27-year-old lowed by a four-test series beginning in Adelaide on “Those two conditions are obviously very chal- Africa earlier this year. Dottin. “Having lost two quick wickets, I had to bring it Dec. 6. lenging and Australia specially have tall bowlers who The elegant right-hander said the extra bounce home for the team and stay positive.” England were Gabba, which Rohit considers to be Australia’s extract bounce and use it to their advantage. Indian would suit his batting as he seeks to cement his place in woeful in the field, with Dunkley, wicketkeeper Amy fastest surface, does not host any test but Perth, batsmen generally are not that tall. It’s not that easy the test squad. “The good bounce allows me to play my Jones and substitute fielder Fran Wilson all dropping known for assisting the quicks, is the venue for the for us. game because I have grown up playing on cement simple catches in the closing overs. But Kycia Knight second match while Melbourne and Sydney host the “But all the guys are determined to change things pitches back home,” Rohit added. strode out to the crease and struck her first ball for four last two tests. around this time. It will be a challenge but we are ready “I have done well in limited overs, but the challenge to seal the win with three deliveries to spare, to the “India have always played either at Perth or to accept the challenge.” Rohit has scored heavily in obviously is red ball cricket, which right now I am not delight of a large and partisan crowd. — AFP Brisbane,” Rohit said. “This time around we are playing the limited-overs matches in Australia and his strong thinking of, just want to do well in the T20 format and at Perth and not Brisbane.

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