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

Test 1 at Abu Dhabi - New Zealand won by 4 runs
Test 2 at Dubai - Pakistan won by an innings and 16 runs


Pakistan today have named a unchanged squad for the Third test.

Will Somerville makes his debut after 18 fc games. An off spinner, 34 years old. Played for NSW for a few years, born in NZ but brought up in Australia. Cricinfo says he is in the top ten oldest of NZ debutants pushing Luke Ronchi down to ten.

Might need his batting. Kiwis struggling. Three wickets for Yas, KW holding out.

229-7 at stumps

The selection of Somerville is baffling...34 years old, 18 f/c games, bits and pieces cricketer, odd selection, dont understand it at all...

also anyone know if/when Mitch Santner is fit again?

Four hours for 40 odd for Watling. A proper old fashioned battling knock.

New Zealand 274 all out.

Watling 77
Raval 45

Bilal 5-65
Yasir 3-75

Six hour unbeaten 77 for BJ and two hour 12 for Somerville. Oh glory.

And a wicket for Trent with no runs on the board. Come on Kiwis!

Azhar gets his half century!

Kiwis batted better this time. They would be bowling last so this time they have a good chance to win the test.

Nothing for their spinners is a bit disappointing though.

Azhar gets his century!

Pakistan are looking to bat just once surely.

Asad shafiq gets his century!

Both are out but 300 has been passed.

Pakistan 312-5 at tea.

Pakistan 348 all out.

Somerville 4-75

Good fight back by new Zealand.

Professor has retired. Very selfish . PCB selectors have to take blame as they made a mistake of selecting him for series against Australia and NZ in UAE. Even if he had scored on these roads he would have been dismissed cheaply in SA. Dropped for third test as he flopped even at home in majority of innings and retires mid-way series probably getting hint that he will be dropped for next series again. Steyn must be very disappointed now.


Pak openers have been very pathetic recently. Hafeez choking at home and chief selector Inzamam-Ul_Haq's nephew Imam-Ul-Haq showing severe weakness while driving off-stump balls and against short ball even on dead wickets of UAE. Selectors could have used couple of home tests to develop batsmen who have done well in domestic season like Fakhar Zaman and Abid Ali. Shoaib Akhtar took all the credit after Professor scored a ton last time on comeback as he advised him not to retire. Where is he hiding now.

Shan Masood is playing England Lions but he did not live upto international test standards in his short stint before.. Will selectors go back to him considering he is in A squad or pick Abid Ali who has a good domestic season?

Personally i feel Azhar Ali should open. He is their best batsman even though Babar Azam gets all the hype which he never manages to live up to. Let Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman open. Fakhar played against Aussies in October but knee injury kept him away from being selected. Babar Azam has flopped as one down and at 4th place so find some other one down. Try Haris Sohail at one down. He showed he can play the long innings in last test with a grinding knock.

Wow. Great day for the plucky Kiwis with KW making an unbeaten ton and adding an unbroken 150 with Henry Nicholls. Superb comeback.

NZ lead by 198 runs with 6 wickets intact. Last day tomorrow.