Tim Southee became the third New Zealander to reach 300 Test wickets as the Black Caps closed in on victory on the fourth day of the first cricket Test against Pakistan in Mount Maunganui.
Tim Southee celebrates his 300th Test wicket at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui Photo: Photosport
It was Southee's 75th Test in a career that has spanned 13 years. He joins Sir Richard Hadlee (431 wickets in 86 Tests) and Daniel Vettori (361 wickets in 112 Tests).
"I knew it was reasonably close," Southee said afterwards. "It's nice but we've still got a bit of work to do with the ball over the next day."
Pakistan battled through to 71-3 at stumps on day four of the first Test in Mount Maunganui, but still need 302 runs on the final day tomorrow to steal an unlikely victory.
The Black Caps declared their second innings at 180 for 5 just before tea, anchored by a 111-run opening partnership between Tom Blundell (64) and Tom Latham (53).
A fiery opening spell from Southee and Trent Boult saw openers Shan Masood and Abid Ali removed without scoring
Pakistan looked in all sorts of trouble at 37-3 when Southee took a third wicket - his 300th - but Azhar Ali (34) and Fawad Alam(21) took them through to stumps without further mishap.
They will need to bat the entire final day on a deteriorating Bay Oval pitch to stop the hosts taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Meanwhile New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson has been fined 25 percent of his match fee for throwing the ball towards Pakistan batsman Faheem Ashraf "in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner".
The 25-year-old had breached Article 2.9 of its code of conduct on Monday, the third day of the first test. Jamieson had admitted the offence and accepted the sanction that was proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe, it added.
"The incident occurred ... on Monday, when Jamieson, after fielding the ball on his follow through, threw it in the direction of Faheem Ashraf at high speed when the batsman was away from the stumps but within the popping crease and not intending to take a run," the ICC said.
It said one demerit point was added to the bowler's disciplinary record. It was Jamieson's first offence in a 24-month period.
When a player accumulates four or more demerit points within a two-year period, they are converted into suspension points which could lead to a ban.
-RNZ/Reuters