New Zealand have beaten Pakistan by eight wickets on the third day of play in the first cricket Test in Christchurch.
Kane Williamson Photo: Photosport
A half century from the Black Caps captain, Kane Williamson, ushered in the victory at Hagley Oval, with the debutant opening batsman, Jeet Raval, scoring the winning run to finish unbeaten on 36.
The Black Caps pace bowler, Colin de Grandhomme, was named man of the match after taking seven wickets on debut, while Neil Wagner became the second fastest New Zealander to claim a hundred Test scalps.
The second Test of the two match series starts in Hamilton on Thursday.
Pakistan could only add four runs to their overnight score before being bowled out for 133 this morning.
Their top scorer Sohail Kahn (40) was the first batsman out on day four as the New Zealand pace attack mopped up the tail.
Debutant Colin de Grandhomme is clapped off by his Black Caps teammates after taking six wickets in the first innings. Photo: Photosport
Tim Southee (3/53), Neil Wagner (3/34) and Trent Boult (3/37) removed Kahn, Asad Shafiq and Rahat Ali respectively before the Black Caps opener Tom Latham fell for nine.
Latham was caught at third slip off a ball that bounced sharply from pace bowler Mohammad Amir, suggesting venom remained in the three-day-old pitch.
"The first innings it did a bit for both teams and there were two low scores," Williamson told Sky sport.
The captain was one of only two players to achieve a half century in the match after Raval scored 55 in his first innings.
Kane Williamson and Jeet Raval head to lunch on day four in Christchurch. Photo: Photosport
"Naturally it's tough coming off a few losses but its good to be home and the boys stepped it up and put some of those feelings of defeat behind us to play a very good test match," said Williamson referring to the 3-0 series loss to India in October.
"We knew that second innings would be really important against a strong side like Pakistan who tour very well."
The visitors had faced an uphill battle to prolong the test, which had the first day washed out.
"As a professional, as the number two test team in the world we should be better than that," said Pakistan opener Azhar Ali, who stepped in for post-match interviews after captain Misbah-ul-Haq returned home due to a family emergency.
"We should have put in a better batting show, especially the first innings. It was quite helpful for the bowlers but I think we could have scored more runs which would have helped because on that kind of track you're always in the game."
- RNZ, Reuters
