New Zealand looked to have taken control in the rain-hit fourth day of the deciding third Test against Pakistan after taking a 248-run first-innings lead in Napier before Pakistan's top four hit back yesterday.
A patient display saw all four batsmen make half-centuries as they reached 347 for four by the close - 99 runs ahead with six wickets intact.
Openers Imran Farhat and Salman Butt resumed on an unbroken stand of 128 but Kiwi captain Daniel Vettori sprung a surprise by opening the day with the part-time spin of top-order batsman Martin Guptill and was rewarded with two wickets.
Butt scooped the third ball of the day back to the bowler without adding to his overnight 66, while Farhat contributed just six before offering Guptill his second return catch. His exit, for 61, left Guptill with figures of two for 16 and Pakistan needing to rebuild from 146 for two.
That they did as Faisal Iqbal and captain Mohammad Yousuf dug in. Yousuf in particular made a solid but pedestrian start but hit four fours and a six en route to a 117-ball fifty.
Iqbal, meanwhile, made 67 before being snared by Chris Martin shortly before the interval to end a stand of 128.
Yousuf was unbeaten on 75 at the interval but added only a further 14 before fending a short ball from O'Brien to keeper Brendon McCullum and walking without waiting for umpire Rudi Koertzen's decision.
Umar Akmal then took centre stage, opening his account with a six off Daryl Tuffey and moving to 24 from as many deliveries.
He then settled down, going scoreless for 19 balls and hitting only two further boundaries as he closed on 48 not out from 84. He and Misbah-ul-Haq, unbeaten on four at the other end, resume today as both sides eye victory .
* With Agencies
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 715bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,289,376
On sale: now
THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Watch live
The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.
You can find out more here
Abramovich London
A Kensington Palace Gardens house with 15 bedrooms is valued at more than £150 million.
A three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront bought for £22 million.
Steel company Evraz drops more than 10 per cent in trading after UK officials said it was potentially supplying the Russian military.
Sale of Chelsea Football Club is now impossible.
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who is Ramon Tribulietx?
Born in Spain, Tribulietx took sole charge of Auckland in 2010 and has gone on to lead the club to 14 trophies, including seven successive Oceania Champions League crowns. Has been tipped for the vacant New Zealand national team job following Anthony Hudson's resignation last month. Had previously been considered for the role.