<p>Fast bowler Rahat Ali's rich haul of 4-22 helped to give Pakistan firm control of the first Test against New Zealand today despite opening batsman Tom Latham hitting a fighting maiden Test century.<br /><br />New Zealand failed to cope with Ali's reverse swing in a miserly bowled 17 overs of left-arm swing, and was all out for 262 late on the third day.<br /><br />Left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar chipped in with 3-79 as New Zealand's top order found it tough in its first ever Test in the United Arab Emirates.<br /><br />Pakistan, which declared at 566-3, didn't enforce the follow-on and stretched its lead to 319 by reaching 15 without loss at stumps.</p>.<p><br />New Zealand resumed from 15-0 overnight, and Latham escaped two tough catch chances early before hitting 103 off 222 balls with 13 fours.<br /><br />Corey Anderson made a rapid 48 off 70 balls with eight fours, but he and Latham fell to Ali after putting on 83 runs for the fourth wicket, New Zealand's best partnership, during a brief aggressive batting spell in the second session.<br /><br />On his overnight five, Latham's hard push was dropped by Azhar Ali at forward short leg, and on 32, wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed couldn't hold onto a thick edge off Mohammad Hafeez's offspin.<br /><br />The left-hander profited from the two lapses, and showed lot of maturity in only his fifth Test since making his debut against India this year.<br /><br />Latham was bold against the spinners, and reached his century off 212 balls with a powerfully driven straight boundary off Babar in the last session. However, Ali had Latham trapped leg before wicket soon afterwards, off a brilliant yorker, and later had Tim Southee caught behind for nought.<br /><br />BJ Watling (40) and Ish Sodhi (25) shared 43 runs for the ninth wicket, before Sodhi misread Yasir Shah's googly with the second new ball and was clean-bowled. Babar trapped Watling leg before wicket to earn Pakistan's big lead.<br /><br />Earlier, Brendon McCullum survived two strong lbw appeals against fast bowler Imran Khan, but when the New Zealand skipper pushed hard at Babar's sharp turning delivery on 18, Younis Khan took a fine, low catch.<br /><br />Ali was rewarded for a brilliant spell of four maiden overs when Kane Williamson rolled a yorker back onto his stumps on 3, as Pakistan allowed only 66 runs in the first session.<br /><br />New Zealand's most experienced batsman, Ross Taylor, recovering from a right calf injury, never looked at ease against Babar before offering a tame catch to Asad Shafiq at close-in gully for a six-ball duck, as Babar continued the fine form which saw him take 14 wickets in the preceding 2-0 series victory against Australia.</p>
<p>Fast bowler Rahat Ali's rich haul of 4-22 helped to give Pakistan firm control of the first Test against New Zealand today despite opening batsman Tom Latham hitting a fighting maiden Test century.<br /><br />New Zealand failed to cope with Ali's reverse swing in a miserly bowled 17 overs of left-arm swing, and was all out for 262 late on the third day.<br /><br />Left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar chipped in with 3-79 as New Zealand's top order found it tough in its first ever Test in the United Arab Emirates.<br /><br />Pakistan, which declared at 566-3, didn't enforce the follow-on and stretched its lead to 319 by reaching 15 without loss at stumps.</p>.<p><br />New Zealand resumed from 15-0 overnight, and Latham escaped two tough catch chances early before hitting 103 off 222 balls with 13 fours.<br /><br />Corey Anderson made a rapid 48 off 70 balls with eight fours, but he and Latham fell to Ali after putting on 83 runs for the fourth wicket, New Zealand's best partnership, during a brief aggressive batting spell in the second session.<br /><br />On his overnight five, Latham's hard push was dropped by Azhar Ali at forward short leg, and on 32, wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed couldn't hold onto a thick edge off Mohammad Hafeez's offspin.<br /><br />The left-hander profited from the two lapses, and showed lot of maturity in only his fifth Test since making his debut against India this year.<br /><br />Latham was bold against the spinners, and reached his century off 212 balls with a powerfully driven straight boundary off Babar in the last session. However, Ali had Latham trapped leg before wicket soon afterwards, off a brilliant yorker, and later had Tim Southee caught behind for nought.<br /><br />BJ Watling (40) and Ish Sodhi (25) shared 43 runs for the ninth wicket, before Sodhi misread Yasir Shah's googly with the second new ball and was clean-bowled. Babar trapped Watling leg before wicket to earn Pakistan's big lead.<br /><br />Earlier, Brendon McCullum survived two strong lbw appeals against fast bowler Imran Khan, but when the New Zealand skipper pushed hard at Babar's sharp turning delivery on 18, Younis Khan took a fine, low catch.<br /><br />Ali was rewarded for a brilliant spell of four maiden overs when Kane Williamson rolled a yorker back onto his stumps on 3, as Pakistan allowed only 66 runs in the first session.<br /><br />New Zealand's most experienced batsman, Ross Taylor, recovering from a right calf injury, never looked at ease against Babar before offering a tame catch to Asad Shafiq at close-in gully for a six-ball duck, as Babar continued the fine form which saw him take 14 wickets in the preceding 2-0 series victory against Australia.</p>