Heroic Vettori falls agonisingly short

Daniel Vettori fell one run short of a fifth Test century after helping New Zealand recover from a dangerous position on a rain-disrupted second day of the first Test against Pakistan in Dunedin.

The Black Caps skipper, who began the day on 40, added 164 with Brendon McCullum to rebuild from 276 for six overnight to 402 when he was eighth out.

Daniel Vettori looks to darkening skies after falling for 99. New Zealand came off for bad light after one further delivery

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The wet weather had hampered Vettori’s progress, delaying play for more than three and a half hours shortly after lunch with the left-hander on 87. McCullum’s dismissal for 78 had brought forward the interval by four balls.

When the teams returned at 6.35pm, Vettori moved quickly into the 90s with his 13th boundary of the innings, a crisp cover drive off Umar Gul.

But he looked tentative thereafter and was lucky not to go when he edged between Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and first slip Imran Farhat in Gul’s next over.

Gul eventually got his man 10 balls later, enticing the left-hander into a thick edge which Akmal gathered.

New batsman Iain O’Brien took two from the next ball, immediately after which New Zealand accepted the umpires’ offer of bad light.

Earlier in the over Shane Bond, unbeaten on eight, survived a referral to the decision review system when Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf queried Simon Taufel’s decision not to give the New Zealand fast bowler out lbw.

Gul’s two wickets were just reward after a luckless opening day which saw him bowl seven maidens in 21 overs at the cost of 78. He finished the second day with 2-113 off 34 overs, including 10 maidens.

Umar Gul uproots Brendon McCullum's middle stump on 78, inducing lunch, for the first of two deserved wickets today

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Vettori’s dismissal was Gul’s second scalp after his yorker removed McCullum’s middle stump to leave New Zealand at 375 for seven.

McCullum had added 53 to his overnight score as he and Vettori frustrated Pakistan.

Both battled through a hostile early spell from Mohammed Asif and Mohammad Aamer, who peppered them with short deliveries.

Vettori, managing a left shoulder problem, was hit in that area by Asif and was struck flush on the helmet by Aamer and required a brief medical check-up.

Having withstood the onslaught, Vettori notched a rapid 21st Test half-century from 63 balls.

McCullum claimed a 14th Test fifty from 98 deliveries and the pair continued to punish the frustrated Pakistan attack until Gul got the breakthrough.

Only 14 minutes were possible after the interval before the rain arrived with the Black Caps having added six runs.

Three hours and 40 minutes later Vettori and Bond returned to the crease and battled through five tough overs in drizzle and fading light before Gul got the prized wicket of New Zealand’s skipper.