Southee claims 300th Test wicket as New Zealand press advantage

After Southee and Boult made inroads with the new ball, Pakistan went to stumps at 71/3 with Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam digging deep to keep the buoyant hosts at bay.

After having bowled Pakistan out for 239 at stumps the previous day, the home team's openers looked confident as they looked to add quick runs to the lead. Both Tom Blundell and Tom Latham played their strokes to score a half-century each.

After Mohammad Abbas broke the opening partnership for 111 with Blundell getting bowled as he looked to play an expansive heave, Pakistan were able to make routine inroads.

Naseem Shah was the most effective, testing New Zealand's batsmen with short-pitched bowling and reaped the three wickets of Latham, Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls. But part of the reason for wickets falling was New Zealand's aggressive approach in a bid to put Pakistan in as soon as possible.

The declaration came with New Zealand at 180/5, and the new ball duo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult took no time to make an impact. Shan Masood was the first to fall as he poked at one outside off to give Southee his first and Abid Ali was caught behind off Trent Boult the next over to leave Pakistan reeling at 0/2.

It wasn't too long before Southee had Haris Sohail caught driving loosely at short cover to register his 300th scalp in Test cricket, a mark which has previously been reached only by Daniel Vettori (361) and Richard Hadlee (431) among New Zealanders. The dismissal came as a result of Southee having pushed Sohail back with a bouncer the previous delivery before baiting him with a fuller one.

After that dismissal, however, Azhar Ali (34*) and Fawad Alam (21*) applied themselves to bat Pakistan to stumps without further damage. The duo were solid in defence on what seemed like a great batting track. Southee and co. will have the work cut out if they are to close the game out on the final day. They will be particularly desperate for a victory after India strengthened their position on the ICC World Test Championship points table with a bruising eight-wicket win over Australia in Melbourne.

New Zealand will go into day five as firm favourites but will be well aware that all three results are still possible with Pakistan needing 302 more runs. The visitors will hope for a big partnership, which could give them a chance to push for an unlikely win.