An unbeaten 94 by a gritty Kane Williamson had New Zealand at 222 for three in the face of a concerted Pakistan attack at stumps on day one of the first Test in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Henry Nicholls was the other not out batsman on 42 as New Zealand recovered from being 13 for two after Pakistan's baby-faced destroyer Shaheen Afridi removed openers Tom Latham and Tom Blundell cheaply on a green, seaming wicket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In a 120-run stand, filled with determination and concentration in difficult conditions, Williamson and Ross Taylor pulled New Zealand back into the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Taylor hit 10 fours and a six as he attacked the bowling while Williams was more conservative. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
After Afridi split the pair with a masterful piece of bowling to remove Taylor for 70, Williamson and Henry Nicholls added a further 89. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Taylor was set up to fall by Afridi who bowled full, short then a bouncer in successive deliveries and followed with a good-length, rising ball that Taylor could not resist slashing at.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But he succeeded only in feathering the ball to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 20-year-old Afridi, with his baby face and standing 1.99 metres (6ft 6in) tall, also removed Latham for four and Blundell for five to end the day with three for 55. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Mohammad Abbas, while not taking a wicket, kept the batsmen pinned down and conceded only 25 runs off his 21 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Afridi's opening onslaught had New Zealand at two for 13 before Williamson and Taylor combined in a century partnership, their 10th together.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
By stumps, Williamson had faced 243 deliveries after being in the middle for all but the first three balls before Latham was dismissed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The closest Pakistan came to dismissing the New Zealand captain came before lunch with Williamson on 18 when Shan Masood spilled a difficult one-handed chance low to his left. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Naseem Shah was the unfortunate bowler and the teenaged quick was to suffer again when he tempted Nicholls, on six, to hook a short ball only for Mohammad Abbas, waiting for the catch at long leg, to drop the regulation chance. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
It was a continuation of the good fortune going Nicholls' way after he was dropped five times on his way to 174 in his last innings against the West Indies.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2020\/12\/nz-vs-pak-1st-test-gritty-williamson-lifts-new-zealand-after-early-pakistan-strike.jpg", "alt_img": "image for cricket new zealand vs pakistan cricket match ", "alt_title": "Kane Williamson", "image1": "", "video": "", "seo_title": "NZ vs Pak, 1st Test: Gritty Williamson Lifts New Zealand After Early Pakistan Strike (Day 1 Report) On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "An unbeaten 94 by a gritty Kane Williamson had New Zealand at 222 for three in the face of a concerted Pakistan attack at stumps on day one of the first Test in Mount Maunganui on Saturday. Henry Nich", "seo_keywords": "Pakistan Tour of New Zealand, Kane Williamson", "tag": "", "tagging": "Pakistan Tour of New Zealand,Kane Williamson,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": "0", "slug": "nz-vs-pak-1st-test-gritty-williamson-lifts-new-zealand-after-early-pakistan-strike", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": "0000-00-00", "ians_time": "00:00:00", "server_time": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "trash": "0", "view_count": "2951", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2020-12-26 11:31:44", "updated": "2020-12-26 11:31:44", "img_from": "Kane Williamson", "img_source": "", "schedule_publish": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "news_keywords": "Kane Williamson, Pakistan, New Zealand, NZ vs Pak, Day 1, 1st Test", "livescore_text": "", "livescore_link": "", "btn_text": "", "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "21", "jio_date": "2020-12-26 11:31:44", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "0", "google_date": "2020-12-26 11:31:44", "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/nz-vs-pak-1st-test-gritty-williamson-lifts-new-zealand-after-early-pakistan-strike-69152" }