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An undefeated fourth-field stand between Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls has left the Black Caps in the box on the stumps on the second day of Test two against Pakistan at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Kane williamson
Photo: Photosport
Williamson finished the day with 112 and no out, while Nicholls was undefeated with 89 when the pair racked up 215 runs late in the game.
New Zealand was 286-3 at the close of the game, just 11 runs behind Pakistan’s first 297-inning tally.
Nicholls made the most of a pardon when he was three, when he outpointed Shaheen Afridi with goalkeeper Mohammad Rizwan only to have the pitcher called to no-ball.
It was a long day in the field for Pakistan, but things looked promising from the start.
New Zealand starters Tom Latham and Tom Blundell posted 52 for the first wicket, but were ruled out in successive overs: Blundell first for 16 and then Latham for 33, with an excellent reflex reception from Haris Sohail on the first slip after a lead rebounded. in Shan. Masood on the second slip.
The Black Caps lost their third shortly after lunch. Ross Taylor edged Mohammad Abbas out of Masood on slips at 71-3 when he was at 12, and the New Zealanders looked in trouble.
But Williamson and Nicholls showed patience and time to weather the storm, then increased the pace as the day progressed.
Williamson moved up his 24th century test, and his first at the Hagley Oval, while Nicholls was approaching his seventh, continuing the form he found last month with his 174 against the West Indies.
