New Zealand yesterday beat Pakistan by 101 runs after a thrilling finish to the first Test in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, where the visitors were just 27 balls from pulling off a battling draw.
Tail-enders Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah blocked for seven overs in fading light, before Naseem was caught and bowled by spinner Mitchell Santner for 1, ending Pakistan’s resistance.
The end for Pakistan began when Kyle Jamieson broke the 165-run fifth-wicket stand by Fawad Alam and Mohammad Rizwan.
Photo: AFP
The victory was crucial for New Zealand, who need to sweep the two-Test series to have a chance of making the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June.
Once Jamieson claimed the crucial wicket of Rizwan, leg before wicket for 60, Neil Wagner removed Alam for 102, and New Zealand were into the tail as Pakistan folded from 240-4 to be all out for 271.
Jamieson produced a particularly miserly spell after the tea break when he sent down nine overs and took 2-4.
Apart from when Pakistan whipped out the New Zealand openers cheaply on the first day, the match had been in New Zealand’s control until Rizwan, the stand-in skipper, joined Alam in the middle with Pakistan 75-4 on the final morning.
New Zealand required six more wickets, Pakistan needed 298 runs and more than 78 overs remained.
By tea, Alam and Rizwan were still together, Pakistan had narrowed the target to 158 in 36 overs and New Zealand still needed six wickets.
However, Jamieson removed Rizwan 11 overs into the final session.
Jamieson had gone close several times previously, and even his leg before wicket shout against Rizwan was turned down before the umpire’s decision was overturned on review.
Alam, who had occupied the crease with Rizwan for more than 63 overs, lasted three more overs until he gloved a Wagner short ball to wicketkeeper B.J. Watling down the leg side.
Alam had been discarded by Pakistan in 2009 after three Tests and a best innings of 168. Since his recall this year, his highest score was 21 against England in August.
There were a few loose shots early in his innings, and a nerve-wracking moment when a ball ricocheted off his arm and bounced dangerously close to the stumps.
Otherwise, he staunchly held his own through 269 deliveries before bringing up his century with a four off Wagner, but scored only two more runs off his next 33 balls before his dismissal.
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
Aaliyah Edwards on Monday pulled off the stunner of the opening round of the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament, beating top-seeded Breanna Stewart 12-0. The tournament to be played over three days featured 23 of the WNBA’s 36 players. A few had other commitments and a couple others were out with injuries. Stewart got the ball first against Edwards and missed a contested layup. Edwards then hit a three-pointer from the corner and a jumper from the elbow to go up 5-0. The player who scores keeps the basketball. Edwards hit two layups and a three-pointer to seal the win. Stewart, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player,
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38
RSS