Vettori eyes chance to beat series jinx

New Zealand arrived in Wellington yesterday with the initiative in the three-match series, a seam of confidence and the chance to reflect upon how much more satisfying a test victory is than any dozen Twenty20 or ODI matches can be.

The first-test win by 32 runs at University Oval came at the end of a marvellous day of twists, shifts of balance and nerve-jangly tension as first New Zealand, then Pakistan, and ultimately the home side had the edge.

Chasing 251 for victory, Pakistan were dismissed for 218, New Zealand's tireless bowlers doing the job impressively - and which should have been easier had their batsmen been up to the mark with their particular responsibilities in the second innings.

New Zealand won the first test against England last year in Hamilton, and lost the series 2-1. One awful session in each of the last two tests did for them.

Now they have another opportunity to press on. It can be done; the question is whether they are good enough to see the job through.

The final wicket fell to captain Dan Vettori, capping a match in which - to absolutely no surprise - he was a central figure, although well short of full fitness; his first-innings 99 pulling New Zealand round from a wobbly 211 for six; his four for 115 in the match solid reward for battling a shoulder niggle.

The biggest praise should sit with New Zealand's seamers, the mid-thirties men Shane Bond, Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien, who shared 16 wickets in the match.

Man-of-the-match Bond had a comeback to test cricket he will long remember, taking eight for 153 and giving New Zealand that extra pace which can keep the best batsmen on guard.

Martin produced perhaps the ball of the test to remove Pakistan's best batsman and captain, Mohammad Yousuf, on Saturday, sharp, lifting and following the batsman to touch his gloves.

It came at a point where Yousuf and young hero Umar Akmal, the first-innings century-maker, appeared to be pushing Pakistan towards victory.

They had revived the innings from 24 for three with a 71-run partnership. While Akmal, who made a terrific debut, remained at the crease, Pakistan's flame was alive. He shared important stands with Shoaib Malik and his older brother Kamran.

But when the brothers departed in the space of three runs - the younger man to a second Bond caught and bowled - New Zealand seized the moment. The last five wickets fell for 23 runs.