<p>Only a fielding lapse denied him a fourth wicket as New Zealand struggled through the first day after being sent into bat in reasonable conditions.<br /><br />Daniel Vettori escaped a golden duck in one of three dropped catches that proved costly for Pakistan and allowed New Zealand to build two solid partnerships and recover from a first-ball dismissal.<br /><br />Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill staged a 117-run rescue stand for the third wicket, while Vettori and Brendon McCullum had put on an unbroken 65 for the seventh wicket. <br />At stumps Vettori was on 40 and McCullum on 25 after successfully appealing against an lbw dismissal on the penultimate ball of the day.<br />But around them the New Zealand batting had a familiar air of frailty as Asif posted three for 76 off 24 overs.</p>
<p>Only a fielding lapse denied him a fourth wicket as New Zealand struggled through the first day after being sent into bat in reasonable conditions.<br /><br />Daniel Vettori escaped a golden duck in one of three dropped catches that proved costly for Pakistan and allowed New Zealand to build two solid partnerships and recover from a first-ball dismissal.<br /><br />Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill staged a 117-run rescue stand for the third wicket, while Vettori and Brendon McCullum had put on an unbroken 65 for the seventh wicket. <br />At stumps Vettori was on 40 and McCullum on 25 after successfully appealing against an lbw dismissal on the penultimate ball of the day.<br />But around them the New Zealand batting had a familiar air of frailty as Asif posted three for 76 off 24 overs.</p>