Wagner Completes 150 Wickets After Pakistan Take Lead

Abu Dhabi, Nov 17 (AFP) Left-arm paceman Neil Wagner became the eighth New Zealand bowler to take 150 or more wickets as Pakistan took the lead on the second day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

The 32-year-old dismissed Yasir Shah for nine to achieve the feat in his 37th Test before Pakistan reached 225-8 at tea, taking a lead of 72 runs on New Zealand's first innings total of 153 all out.

Richard Hadlee tops the chart for New Zealand with 431 wickets in 86 Tests. At tea Babar Azam was batting on a solid 60 with five boundaries and Hasan Ali was four not out.

Pakistan were well-placed at 144-4 at lunch, seeking a big lead to get a 1-0 advantage in the three-match series but Trent Boult (3-52) checked their progress by dismissing Asad Shafiq for 43.

Debutant left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, who has figures of 2-64, struck twice to reduce Pakistan's chances of a big lead.

Shafiq was bowled off an inside edge as he tried to force Boult while at the other end Sarfraz Ahmed swept away Patel for two and Bilal Asif was stumped off Patel for 11.

Earlier, Pakistan resumed at 59-2 but lost overnight batsmen Sohail for 38 and Azhar for 22 in the space of just six balls at the same score of 91.

Sohail was the more confident of the two, having hit four boundaries but was caught at short mid-wicket by Tom Latham to a loose shot off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi's low full toss.

Azhar, who added 64 for the third wicket with Sohail, was dropped by Jeet Raval off Trent Boult when on 19 and was again lucky two runs later when given not out as the same bowler reviewed for a leg-before decision.

But Boult had the last laugh, forcing an edge off Azhar's bat for wicketkeeper BJ Watling's one-handed diving catch. Azhar hit just one boundary. (AFP) APA

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