New Zealand folded meekly on the final day of the first Test, in Auckland. Against an injury-stricken Pakistan side, for whom pace-bowler Mohammad Sami and batsman Younis Khan starred. Even though they probably would not have made a first choice line-up.

Set 431 to win or a day and a half to bat out the game, the Kiwis lost their last nine wickets fro 26 runs, in just over an hour on the final morning. Sami and Saqlain leaving the home side dumbfounded at their swift demise.

Pakistan began solidly on the first day, running up 270 for four at the close, with all of the top seven passing twenty (four of which were touring substitutes). Darryl Tuffey bowled well, but had little support from the ranks, and Pakistan were never really pushed. The Kiwis started badly at 1 for two, before Fleming and McMillan combined to see them past 200.

But from 217-5, they faltered to 252 all out, mainly due to four quick scalps from Saqlain Mushtaq, giving the tourists a sizeable lead. Again Tuffey was the pick of the bowlers, seven for 139 in the match, but Younis Khan again blazed his way toward a century. He missed out first time around, but was high and dry on 149, adding 147 with Javed Miandad's nephew, Faisal Iqbal, when Pakistan called off the set-up for their bowlers.

At 101 for one at the close of the fourth day, New Zealand must have fancied their chances of saving the game. But it was not to be, a hail of leather on timber and catches going to hand, and it was all over, a 299 run defeat left captain Stephen Fleming shell-shocked, "It was a pretty devastating spell of bowling".

All-rounder Jamie Franklin and spinner Paul Wiseman are the fall-guys, being replaced by seamer Chris Drum and 34-year-old all-rounder Grant Bradburn. Drum is the leading wicket-taker in domestic cricket, while Bradburn has shown good form with his off-spinners and batting. Whether it will be enough to turn around the New Zealanders wayward batting and weak bowling is a big question.
Richard Kendall