Conway’s 122 takes NZ to 309/6 on Day 1 of Karachi 2nd Test

KARACHI: New Zealand rode on Devon Conway’s 122 to breach the 300-run mark on Day 1 of the second Test against Pakistan in Karachi on Monday. Conway emerged as the top-scoring batter while Tom Latham departed after playing a 71-run knock. For Pakistan, Agha Salman scalped three while Naseem Shah has taken two wickets. New Zealand skipper Tim Southee had won the toss and opted to bat first in the series-decider.

The stylish left-hander struck 120 for his fourth Test hundred, while Kane Williamson was on 29 at the other end as the Kiwis progressed from 119 without loss at lunch after losing Tom Latham for 71. Conway put on a solid 134 with Latham after New Zealand won the toss and batted on a National Stadium pitch which had a hint of grass but not much for the bowlers.

The two-match series is tied at 0-0 after the first Test — also in Karachi — ended in a tame draw. Pakistan’s three-pronged pace attack looked helpless until Naseem Shah struck in the sixth over after lunch, trapping Latham leg-before with a sharp incoming delivery.

Latham, who scored 113 in the first match, hit nine boundaries in his 100-ball knock, his 24th Test half-century. Conway was lucky to survive a sharp chance when Saud Shakeel failed to hold on to a miscued drive off Hasan Ali on 89. He has so far hit 16 boundaries and a six.

Conway and Williamson have added 92 for the unbroken second-wicket stand. Pakistan brought on Abrar Ahmed in the ninth over, but there was no sign of turn as Conway smashed a boundary and a six off the spinner’s second over. The hosts picked Naseem Shah and Hasan Ali in place of spinner Nauman Ali and fast-bowler Mohammad Wasim after the first Test, while New Zealand picked pacer Matt Henry over Neil Wagner.

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Agha Salman, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah, Mir Hamza, Abrar Ahmed

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee (c), Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel