Southee picks five wickets against Pakistan

WELLINGTON (AFP) – New Zealand quick Tim Southee claimed a five-wicket bag as Pakistan fell for 124 after electing to bat against New Zealand in their opening one-day international at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

In three demanding spells, the 22-year-old Southee ripped out the Pakistan top order, came back to clean out the middle and then took danger man Misbah-ul-Haq to wrap up the innings in 37.3 overs.

Misbah’s 50 was the only innings of substance from Pakistan after they won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first in bright sunshine.

With the two sides starting their final tune-up for the World Cup, New Zealand had plenty to cheer about with their performance in the field as they look to arrest a run of 11 one-day losses.

In addition to Southee’s first five-wicket ODI haul, Hamish Bennett and Jacob Oram both took two wickets with successive balls, while wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum finished with five catches behind the stumps.

After giving up the gloves for the recent Test series, won by Pakistan 1-0, McCullum looked slightly rusty when he dropped a chance off Mohammad Hafeez in the first over.

But he made no mistake soon after when Hafeez edged an outswinger from Southee and was gone without scoring.

It was the start of a penetrating spell by Southee where he took Kamran Akmal (caught Jesse Ryder for eight) and Asad Shafiq (lbw for four) to finish his first spell of six overs with three for 16 and leave Pakistan 32-3.

Younis Khan and Musbah-ul-Haq, who provided the backbone of each Pakistan innings in the Tests, set about repairing the situation but had added only 28 for the fourth wicket when Hamish Bennett struck.

Playing in only his third ODI, and his first at home, Bennett had Younis caught behind for 24 and then dismissed Umar Akmal with his next delivery, caught at second slip by Ross Taylor.

Shahid Afridi avoided the hat-trick, under no pressure from a loose delivery, and received a life two overs later when he tapped Daniel Vettori in the air and Jacob Oram dropped a simple chance at long on.

Pakistan reached the half-way mark at 76 for five when Southee came back for his second spell and immediately teamed up with McCullum to have Afridi caught behind for 15 when he edged a rising delivery.

Oram made amends for his dropped catch when he removed dangerman Abdul Razzaq for six and Abdur Rehman first ball, both caught by McCullum with the last two balls of the 30th over.

He was taken out of the attack to avoid bowling to Misbah before coming back an over later where new batsman Sohail Tanvir avoided the hattrick.

Bennett returned to remove Tanvir, caught by Ryder, to finish with three for 26 before Southee bowled Misbah to end the innings and lead the team off the field with figures of five for 33 from 9.3 overs.