EARLY SUCCESSES FOR NZ. BOWLERS Majestic Khan, defiant Sadiq rescue Pakistan

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33141, 3 February 1973, Page 46

EARLY SUCCESSES FOR NZ. BOWLERS Majestic Khan, defiant Sadiq rescue Pakistan

(From

R. T. BRITTENDEN)

WELLINGTON. The star of Pakistan was very much in the ascendant at the Basin Reserve yesterday. Led by the perky, little Sadiq Mohammad and a majestic .Majid Khan, Pakistan recovered from 26 for two to be 196 for two when drizzle and poor light brought play to an end 95 minutes early.

So Pakistan holds the initiative after the first day’s play in the three-match test series. Sadiq scored a century —his second in tests —and but for the weather Khan would almost certainly have had his third century’ in the last six days.

His was a magnificent I display of almost flawless batting. Sadiq hit many great shots, but looked much more vulnerable than his elegant partner, and was a little lucky that none of his mis-hits fell into the wrong hands. Together, they took Pakistan from famine to plenty. In a first period of play reduced to 95 minutes by an inexplicable delay at the start. Pakistan scored 49 for two from 18 overs, and was a struggling side. Between lunch and tea, 116 were scored in two hours from only 28 overs, and in the final 25 minutes 31 runs were added easily from a tat-tered-looking attack. 170-run stand Sadiq and Khan have been together a shade over three hours for their 170 runs, and soon after lunch it became quite clear that only an act of God or parliament could improve New Zealand’s situation. This proved a very good! toss for Tntikhab to win. for there was very little life m the pitch even in the first Hour, when it was expected to yield bounce and movement. But he won it only after an extraordinary delav. About half an hour before the scheduled starting time covers were put on the pitch to protect it from what was more a three* of rain than an actual fall. There was much low cloud but th* onlv moisture was so light as to he

almost unrecognisable as ram. The covers were off again before 11 a.m. but the captains and umpires were still out in the middle when the game should have been under way. Apparently neither captain was willing to toss, for feat of finding himself in the field with a wet ball. But the weather remained quite warm all morning and it was not until hours later that it really began to rain. It was a strange scene, the captains looking like a couple of boxers being given

I their instructions by the ■ referee: perhaps they should simply have been told to i come out fighting. O’Sullivan omitted I With D. R. O’Sullivan twelfth man, New Zealand had four front-line bowlers, and it looked likely to he ample at first. Talat batted uneasily for half an hour and six runs, Zaheer 25 minutes for none. It was a good morning tor New Zealand. With a strong wind at his back, R. J. Hadlee made a useful start to his test career. His line wavered isomewhat, but he bowled a jfew really good ones which 'beat the batsmen. Strangely, it w’as R. <). Collinge who was called on to bowl into the wind, but he did verv well. Both then, and when given the benefit of the breeze, he had the best line of the bowlers. He looked anything but dangerous, j however, and his main contribution was economy. B. R. Taylor managed to |eet a few up early in the day. When the mood is upon him, he could nrobablv get I bounce with a plum pudding. I But he did not look danger-

ous for long and later his lapses in length and direction were heavily penalised. Between lunch and tea he bowled eight overs for 51 runs. H. J. Howarth was quite steady, he flighted the ball with his usual skill, but he was unable to turn it more than minutely. His figures suffered unfortunately when in one over three instances of mis-fielding cost runs. This was unfair to the New Zealand fielding, too, for the misses all seemed to be the result of the ball finding bumps on a very fast, dry ground. New Zealand fielded keenly and well nearly all the time, with B. F. Hastings having particular success in the gully and in front of the wicket to Howarth. 111-timed shots The Pakistan batsmen really had few obstacles to overcome, although Sadiq always gave the bowlers considerable encouragement. His worst moments were with his attempts to force balls slightly short of a length away to the one-side. Half a dozen of these hits across the line were ill-timed, but nothing went to hand. Khan, in contrast, was at his most masterful. He came in with the innings an hour old and the score a wobbly 26 for two. Talat was caught brilliantly by G. M. Turner in slips, and Zaheer was taken by Hadlee at deep fine leg, trying to hook a bouncer. Dived for catch It was a very good catch, for Hadlee found himself short by a yard or so when : the ball checked in the 1 strong wind. Finally, he 1 made the catch only inches 1 from the ground. But Khan was all assurance from his first moment. Sadiq scored principally with square cuts and hooks, although he played some good drives. Khan’s strokes were the spikes of a glittering wheel. He hardly ever lifted the ball, but it was hit powerfully, with no hint of effort. Different styles There was a strange contrast in styles. Sadiq is decisive in his movements, going forward or back to convert the ball to a suitable length. Khan sometimes seemed to have the New Zealand bowlers organised as a

practice machine, set at the half-volley. He pierced the field with ludicrous ease as his innings developed although there was never a suggestion of a mad rush for runs. He is a very gifted player, almost courteous in his calm and quiet disposal of the ball. Khan has had 161 balls and 182 minutes for his 78, with 12 fours. Sadiq has faced 202 balls, hit 14 fours, and he has been in four hours. They were completely in control in the afternoon play, but they have to make a fresh start this morning, and New Zealand is not without a chance of recovery, for there is a distinct vulnerability about . Pakistan’s middle and late-order batting, as well as a list of strokemakers.