COMMENT – Pakistan never won a limited overs international match at McLean Park, Napier, where they will play fourth match of the six-match series against New Zealand on Tuesday (February 1). New Zealand, on the other hand, have a good record at this ground. They have won 20, lost 10, tied two and abandoned one in 33 matches played here. McLean Park has been a burial ground for the bowlers and if the pitch remains flat and full of runs, Pakistan hold the edge over New Zealand.
Toss is very vital as seven of the last 10 one day internationals have been won by the side batting first. Christchurch witnessed a quintessentially Pakistani style of play: slow start, building a base, retain wickets, and explosion in the end. It used to be the norm in 1980s before Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail changed that in the 90s, but once again, without a settled opening pair, Pakistan are returning to the roots. Not many teams can launch into a frenzied and mesmerising attack in the end overs like Pakistan can.
New Zealand recorded a 110-run victory over Pakistan when two teams met first time at this ground. Restored to the New Zealand captaincy after not being available for the Pakistan tour, Geoff Howarth was dropped off the first ball of the match and went on to make 68. New Zealand scored swiftly against sluggish fielding. Pakistan began miserably and Geoff Howarth kept a tight grip on the game. Only Miandad really battled it out.
The hosts achieved a six- wicket victory over Pakistan in the second match on December 28,1992. The match was overshadowed by an incident which led to Aqib Javed becoming the first player to be suspended for breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct. New Zealand were chasing 137 and had lost both openers for 30 when Andrew Jones gave a lobbed, gloved slip catch off a short-pitched delivery from Aqib Javed.
Umpire Aldridge called a no-ball, judging that it was above shoulder-height, a verdict supported by television replays. After the match, Brian Aldridge reported the bowler to the referee, Peter Burge. The non-striker, Martin Crowe, and a nearby fieldsman, Ramiz Raja, attended a 75-minute hearing, where Crowe said Aqib Javed had called the umpire a cheat. To Aqib’s defence that he was talking to himself, he commented: “It was a funny thing to call yourself”. Burge suspended the bowler for the next international match.
In the third match on February 20,2001, New Zealand defeated Pakistan by six wickets. Saeed Anwar was bowled on the match’s first ball. Pakistan just lasted 50 overs, but 135 was their lowest completed one-day total against New Zealand, who beat it with nearly 20 overs in hand. Saryl Tuffey won the match award for a career-best four for 24, seizing the opportunity offered by Chris Cairns’s injury. Just as important was Chris Harris, whose figures of 10-2-12-1 reveal the respect with which the Pakistanis treated his slow-medium swing bowling.
They equalled the fourth most economical performance for New Zealand at this level. Shahid Afridi provided him with his 159th wicket in one-day internationals, overtaking Richard Hadlee’s New Zealand record. Hadlee played 115 games to Chris Harris’s 175. In the last meeting between the two teams at this ground on January 14,2004, New Zealand beat Pakistan by 8 wickets. After bowling out Pakistan for 126 in 36.3 overs, New Zealand made 127 for two in 22.5 overs.
