New Zealand loses two before rain stops play
New Zealand reached 77 for 2 before rain forced the first day of the second and final Test against Pakistan to be abandoned after just 21 overs of play in Hamilton on Friday (November 25).
The players took lunch early after the rain began, with Jeet Raval and Ross Taylor in the middle after the early loss of Tom Latham and Kane Williamson. Three hours later, the umpires stopped play for the day, and the action will resume half-an-hour early at 10.30am local time on Saturday.
Pakistan won the toss in bowler-friendly conditions with a green pitch and heavy cloud cover, but apart from Mohammad Amir, their seamers were not able to do much of note.
Taylor, who is scheduled to undergo surgery at the end of the Test to remove a growth in his left eye, looked untroubled as he hit six boundaries in his unbeaten 20-ball 29. Raval was dropped off the third delivery he faced but otherwise looked composed as he continued the good form from his maiden Test last week by getting to 35.
In his opening over, Amir had Raval dropped at first slip by Sami Aslam, but then removed Latham for a golden duck.
He then spilt a caught-and-bowled chance off Williamson before the New Zealand captain had scored, but Williamson only made 13 before he was out caught behind off Sohail Khan after a Pakistan review.
The wicket gave Sohail figures of 1 for 35 off seven overs, while Amir had 1 for 15 off six.
With conditions being the way they were, Pakistan left out Yasir Shah, it’s frontline spinner, and opted for an all-pace attack, while New Zealand brought in Mitchell Santner in place of Todd Astle.
