SHARJAH: Trent Boult took three early wickets and spinners Mark Craig and Ish Sodhi grabbed two each as New Zealand eye a series-levelling win over Pakistan in the third and final Test in Sharjah on Sunday.
Boult struck thrice in the space of 18 balls to leave Pakistan struggling at 24-3 before Craig and Sodhi shared four wickets as Pakistan struggled to 147-7 at tea on the fourth day.
At the break Asad Shafiq (51) and Mohammad Talha (nought) were at the crease with Pakistan still needing 192 more runs to avoid an innings defeat and keep their 1-0 lead intact in the three-match series. Pakistan won the first Test in Abu Dhabi by 248 runs while the second ended in a draw in Dubai.
Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed (37) tried to take the attack to the New Zealand bowlers with a 73-run stand for the sixth wicket before Sodhi removed Ahmed and Yasir Shah (ten) in the same over.
Shafiq has so far hit seven boundaries and a six in his 11th fifty to lead some recovery after Pakistan lost Mohammad Hafeez (24) and Misbah-ul Haq (12) in the post lunch session.
Hafeez gave a return catch to Craig while Misbah was adjudged caught behind off the glove on the same bowler and even a referral couldn't save the Pakistan skipper.
Boult had shaken Pakistan at the start of the innings, dismissing Shan Masood (four) in his second over, bowled Azhar Ali (six) in his fourth and trapped Younis Khan for a first ball duck in his fifth in a destructive spell.
Boult's devastating spell came after New Zealand extended their first innings to 690 in the morning -- their highest-ever total in all Test cricket.
That gave New Zealand a huge 339-run lead over Pakistan's first innings total of 351 and they pressed home their advantage quickly with Boult's strikes.
Masood drove uppishly to be caught in the slips while Ali misjudged a sharp incoming delivery which hit the off stump as he tried to leave the ball.
Boult again used the angle well from round the wicket to trap the in-form Younis leg-before. A review could not save the batsman.
New Zealand had added a further 53 earlier in the morning after resuming on 637-8, with Mark Craig (65) becoming the sixth batsmen to reach a half-century.
New Zealand's innings included a world record 22 sixes, beating the 17 struck by Australia against Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003.
Pakistan's much vaunted bowling attack suffered badly, with paceman Rahat Ali taking 4-99 and leg-spinner Yasir Shah conceding 193 runs for his four wickets.
Left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar, who took 13 wickets in the first two Tests, went wicket-less in his 23 overs conceding 135 runs.
New Zealand's previous highest Test total of 680-8 came against India in Wellington in February this year.
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