Latham ton ensures headstart for Kiwis

Azhar Ali dropped Latham at gully after the batsman had reached his hundred and failed to latch on to a sharp chance at silly point off Ross Taylor.

Opener Tom Latham struck his second consecutive hundred to keep New Zealand on course for a big first-innings total on the opening day of the second Test against Pakistan on Monday. Opting to bat first after winning the toss at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the visitors, trailing 1-0 in the three-Test series, reached 243 for three wickets at the close.

Latham, who scored a century in the first Test in Abu Dhabi, remained unbeaten on 137 with Corey Anderson on seven. The 22-year-old Latham, playing his sixth Test, displayed good temperament and solid technique against both the fast bowlers and the spinners and reached his century with a single off paceman Ehsan Adil. The left-handed batsman survived a close lbw appeal against Adil on 11 and edged Rahat Ali on 71 but the ball went between the wicketkeeper and first slip.

Azhar Ali dropped Latham at gully after the batsman had reached his hundred and failed to latch on to a sharp chance at silly point off Ross Taylor.

Latham added 77 for the opening wicket with Brendon McCullum before the New Zealand captain succumbed to a rush of blood to be dismissed on 43. Adil, who replaced paceman Imran Khan in Pakistan’s starting line-up, broke the gritty opening stand 15 minutes before the lunch break.

McCullum pulled Adil, playing his second test match, straight to Shan Masood who was placed at square leg precisely for that purpose. Latham added 76 for the second wicket with Kane Williamson who fell an over before tea, bowled by left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar for 32. Leg-spinner Yasir Shah dismissed Taylor (23) in the final session but not before he had added 73 for the third wicket with Latham.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq introduced spin as early as the ninth over after his pace bowlers failed to make early inroads with the new ball.

Pakistan, who won the first test by 248 runs, went in with a new left-handed opening pair after Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez failed to recover from injuries. Masood, with just two test caps, and Taufeeq Umar, who last played in July 2012, will open the batting for the hosts.

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Brief scores: New Zealand 1st innings: 243/3 (Tom Latham 137 not out, Brendon McCullum 43)

Ryder opts out

WELLINGTON: Jesse Ryder has withdrawn from the New Zealand A tour to the United Arab Emirates later this month, likely ending his bid to play at next year’s cricket World Cup. Ryder told New Zealand’s selectors Monday he is unvailable for personal reasons for the A team’s tour which involves two limited-overs matches against Ireland and others against the UAE and Afghanistan. New Zealand Cricket said in a statement it “respects Jesse’s decision” to withdraw.

The tour is part of the process which will lead to the Dec. 8 announcement of New Zealand’s preliminary World Cup squad. Ryder on Sunday failed to join his Otago provincial team on a flight to Christchurch for a domestic Twenty20 match, only advising team officials later of his unavailability.

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