1st Test: Pakistan roll out spin trap for New Zealand

Hosts seeking continuation of series-winning form they displayed against Australia

ABU DHABI: The leaden-footed Australians found themselves bamboozled by Pakistan's wily spinners and their trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand can expect similar treatment from Misbahul Haq and his men in a three-Test series starting in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar (14) and leggie Yasir Shah (12) shared 26 of the 40 Australian wickets between them to help Pakistan secure a comprehensive 2-0 win on the slow, turning wickets in the UAE last week. By retaining the same 16 who gave them their first test series victory over Australia in 20 years, Pakistan have suggested they would employ the same tried-and-tested formula against the Brendon McCullum-led Black Caps.

"No changes have been made to the side that won the second test against Australia,” said chief selector Moin Khan. “This is to ensure there is consistency, which will bring more stability and strengthen team bonding and combination.”

The slow nature of tracks in the UAE negated much of the threat posed by Australian pacemen, including Ashes hero Mitchell Johnson, while run-machine Younus Khan and his nimble-footed batting colleagues milked the touring spinners dry.

Australia's specialist slow bowler Nathan Lyon bled 422 runs for his three wickets in the series that saw Younus hit two centuries and a double ton while Misbah and top order batsman Azhar Ali hit hundreds in both innings of the Abu Dhabi test, a confidence boost which the team’s captain says will be maintained.

“We need to keep the same momentum that we had against Australia and I’m confident that the team will do that against a New Zealand team which can surprise any time," said Misbah.

"There’s confidence in the side and not a weak link that you can see. The batsmen are in good form, the bowlers are delivering. Given that we are playing in the same conditions, we are confident that we can perform well."

Hesson aware of Pakistan threat

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson knows what it would take to upstage a formidable Pakistan team eyeing a second successive whitewash to close their current 12-point gap on second-placed Australia in Test rankings. "I'd like to see us develop in two areas on this tour," wrote Hesson on his blog on New Zealand Cricket website.

"The first is our ability to take wickets on un-responsive surfaces, and the second is that our batsmen all have a method to cope when the ball starts turning, to both defend and to score."

Meanwhile, Black Caps’ captain Brendon McCullum was confident his team would be a different prospect to Australia. "I think obviously Pakistan were excellent in their most recent series against Australia and thoroughly deserved their win,” said McCullum. “They are a formidable team in these conditions and we are well aware of the challenges that are in front of us.

"I think we have nice mix in the group with right and left option (in batting) which probably Australia didn't have in the middle and hopefully that's one of the factors that can help us combat Pakistan's line up."

 

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