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A 176 run partnership between captain Daniel Vettori and deputy Brendon McCullum helped New Zealand to 346/6 at the end of the second day's play at Napier, extending their lead over Pakistan to 123. Vettori is unbeaten on exactly 100 while McCullum fell late in the day on 89. This was after Danish Kaneria had ripped through the Kiwi middle-order with a haul of 4 wickets to bring his side back into the contest.

The day began with the New Zealand openers starting off from their overnight score of 47/0, which is the best opening stand put on by their team in the series so far. Debutant BJ Watling did not add much to his overnight score falling on 18, cutting a short and wide delivery from Mohammad Asif straight to backwa rd point. Just a couple of overs later, rain halted play but it turned out to be only a passing shower and the match resumed soon after.

The frailty of the New Zealand middle-order and their inability to counter quality spin bowling was exposed to the fullest by Danish Kaneria, picking up the next four Kiwi batsmen. Just before lunch he snapped up his first as Martin Guptill misread a wrong ‘un that hit his pads plumb in front. Next man in Ross Taylor struck up a good partnership with Tim McIntosh and seemed to carry on his good form when Kaneria got him to top-edge an attempted sweep to backward square on 21. Kaneria then snared McIntosh again getting him to top-edge a sweep. McIntosh's innings of 74 came off 187 deliveries and was a patient, painstaking knock from a man with his back to the wall following multiple failures in the series and the axe hanging over his head. Daniel Flynn fell caught behind in Kaneria's very next over and thus became his fourth victim of the day when a referral by a confident ‘keeper Kamran Akmal was successful and third umpire Simon Taufel overturned the on-field umpire's decision.

This brought together Vettori and McCullum. Like the innumerable times before, they led a successful rearguard action and went about repairing the damage of the middle-order collapse in a way only they can. They were a bit circumspect before the tea interval and were watchful as long as the old ball was being used. However, as soon as the new ball was taken, they changed gears and cut loose with a flurry of boundaries off the seamers - Aamer and Asif. McCullum even went for his trademark six successfully, by jumping down the track to Asif and clubbing a ball outside off over midwicket. The batsmen brought up their half-centuries in this very passage of play.

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf was forced to turn to his spinner Danish Kaneria once more, but this time he was unable to recreate the success he had had in the second session. Kaneria was carted back straight over his head by Vettori for his first six.

McCullum, however, was unfortunate not to get to his hundred as he fell 11 short on as Umar Gul cramped him for room with a bouncer close to the body that McCullum only managed to get into the hands of the fielder at point. The wicket came completely against the run of play and sadly an aggressive, attacking innings comprising 11 boundaries and a six off only 103 deliveries came to a premature conclusion. Vettori though continued the good work and did get a well deserved century in the penultimate over of the day. He is currently unbeaten on 100 and has a good partner in Darryl Tuffey at the other end.

New Zealand will be hoping to bat for as long as possible on Day 3, knowing that every run they score is one less than they will need to make in the fourth innings on a pitch likely to have even more to offer Kaneria and co.

Mini Scorecard:

Pakistan 1st innings: 223 all out
Imran Farhat 117        Iain O'Brien 4/35
Umar Gul 24               Darryl Tuffey 4/52

New Zealand 1st innings: 346/6
Daniel Vettori 100*    Danish Kaneria 4/119
B McCullum 89         Mohammad Asif 1/69

File Photograph Copyright: Frednuff