Tale of two comebacks in Dunedin

Dubai New Zealand pacer Shane Bond has produced one of the finest comebacks to Test cricket in recent years. Through a match haul of 8 for 153 he guided his team to a 32-run victory over Pakistan at Dunedin yesterday.

Speaking to Gulf News in Dubai recently during the one-day series against Pakistan, Bond said: "My goal is to do well in Test cricket. I am in good shape now and I am close to taking 100 Test wickets."

Bond, who had played his last Test in November 2007 against South Africa at Johannesburg, is now only 13 short of the 100-wicket mark. The five-wicket spell resulted in Pakistan being bowled out for 332 in the first innings, chasing New Zealand's score of 429.

In the second innings, Pakistan bowled brilliantly to skittle New Zealand out for 153.

Asif

For Pakistan, Mohammad Asif also recorded a great comeback. He again proved how talented a bowler he is, despite being away from international cricket for a long time due to drug-related scandals. It was his four-wicket spell that resulted in New Zealand's batting being destroyed in the second innings.

Asif's last Test match before the Dunedin Test was in October 2007 against South Africa at Lahore.

If Pakistan had not surrendered a lead of 97 runs in the first innings, they could have pulled off a brilliant victory. Unfortunately, their openers Khurram Manzoor and Imran Farhat failed to give them a good start. Manzoor was caught behind by Brendon McCullum off Bond for 4 while Farhat fell to Chris Martin. Bond made things more difficult by dismissing Fawad Alam for 5.

Umar Akmal followed his brilliant 129 in the first innings with a fighting 75 in the second innings before being caught and bowled by Bond. New Zealand now lead the three match series 1-0 and Bond was rightly adjudged the man of the match.

scoreboard

New Zealand first innings 429

Pakistan first innings 332

New Zealand second innings 153 (Ross Taylor 59, Mohammad Asif 4 for 43, Umar Gul 3 for 41)

Pakistan second innings 218 (Umar Akmal 75, Mohammad Yousuf 41, Shoaib Malik 32, Kamran Akmal 27, Shane Bond 3 for 46, Ian O'Brien 3 for 63, Daniel Vettori 2 for 51)

Man of the match: Shane Bond