Cricket: Black Caps dig in heels

James Franklin chipped in with 33 yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

Coach John Wright's patient batting message seems to be gradually working its way into the Black Caps line-up.

New Zealand moved to 246-6 at stumps in Wellington on the opening day of the second test against Pakistan - but it was another innings filled with awkward moments, albeit not as bad as the shuddering third-day collapse at Hamilton last week.

There is still no guarantee they can post a competitive score - probably 350-400 - although Daniel Vettori (38) and Reece Young (28) did their best to halt the slide with an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand of 66.

The opening day leaves the Black Caps a vague chance of squaring the series but the odds are against them; Pakistan have won three, drawn four but never lost a test in Wellington.

Three moments proved crucial. Martin Guptill's dismissal in the sixth over after lunch - blasting at a ball with no foot movement after grafting to 29 was unnecessary. Jesse Ryder's subsequent golden duck left New Zealand at 98-4 when he was forced to play a ball rising rapidly towards his nostrils.

That brought James Franklin to the crease in his first test since April 2009. He gave the innings substance in a 68-run fifth-wicket stand with Ross Taylor. The pair staved off a period of Pakistani venom, giving the home side a slim chance of revival.

But Franklin went cheaply too, strangled by a ball from the steady Abdur Rehman down the legside for 33. To trump that, Taylor - after getting past 29 for the first time in seven test innings - flailed at a ball outside off stump and was caught behind for 78. It was wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal's fifth consecutive catch and left New Zealand teetering at 180-6.

The Black Caps' day was best summed up by periods of promise punctuated by lapses. After last week's debacle in Hamilton, the emphasis was on batting time and eking out the type of determined existence that will regain New Zealand respect on the test stage.

Batting four sessions has been Wright's aim to date and this morning will offer a further gauge as to whether it can be achieved. Wright's other initial objective with the Black Caps is proving elusive; getting the top six to form the backbone of the innings.

Evidence suggests this could become a reality but again no one progressed to an elusive century - there have now been five test innings without one.

Taylor said they were again disappointed not to be able to build: "We lost one or two wickets too many, we saw at the end the Pakistanis got tired and Reece and Dan made the most of it. Seeing off the second new ball is key."

New Zealand could have been helped by the umpire decision referral system early on. Daryl Harper's judgment to fire Brendon McCullum lbw in the first over was probably justified, despite Hawkeye showing the ball would have gone over the stumps. Not playing a shot to an Umar Gul ball seaming back into his pad was suicidal.

The Black Caps reaped the 'benefits' of no UDRS later when Guptill, according to television's snickometer, edged behind. The nor'wester proved an ally, much to Pakistani chagrin, as the opener survived by virtue of umpire Harper's wind-impaired hearing.

Regardless of expense, Taylor couldn't understand why the International Cricket Council is not implementing the UDRS across all international matches: "It should be there. If you can go upstairs for catches in close etc, I can't see why you can't do it for other things.."

McCullum's early exit left Kane Williamson vulnerable - batting at three for the first time in tests with Franklin coming into the side for Tim McIntosh. Williamson was his usual composed self, barely moving his head to play a series of crisp shots for just under an hour before following a rising ball from Gul too far on 21. Not even the wind disguised that nick.

Guptill provided stiff resistance through the opening session. He showed his main aim was occupation and often left the ball.

Evidence of that was in the lunch score. New Zealand were 80-2 with Guptill 24 from 80 balls and Taylor 24 from 45. Together they blunted a Pakistani attack that got little rhythm with wind gusts up to 96km/h buffeting the ground.

Some who play regularly at the Basin Reserve say bowling downwind doesn't necessarily translate to speed because bowlers can unintentionally lengthen stride in their run-up.

So it proved for Gul and Wahab Riaz. Early on they did not make the most of the extra grass on the wicket.

SCOREBOARD
Stumps on day one of second test at the Basin Reserve.

New Zealand

* Guptill... c Akmal... b Ahmed... 29
* McCullum... lbw... b Gul... 2
* Williamson... c Akmal.... b Gul... 21
* Taylor...c Akmal... b Riaz... 78
* Ryder... c Akmal... b Ahmed... 0
* Franklin...c Akmal... b Rehman... 33
* Young... not out... 28
* Vettori... not out... 38
* Extras (7b, 9w, 1nb)... 17

TOTAL (for 6 wickets, 90 overs)... 246

FOWs: 3, 46, 98, 98, 166, 180.

Bowling: U Gul 21-2-53-2, T Ahmed 17-5-63-2 (2w), Y Khan 1-0-9-0, W Riaz 16-3-46-1 (3w), A Rehman 29-9-53-1 (1nb), M Hafeez 6-0-15-0.