Pakistan v Newzealand 3rd ODI LIVE

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Tuffey replaces McKay in Test squad

Daryl Tuffey, the New Zealand fast bowler, has been included in the squad for the two-Test series against Pakistan, starting Friday. He takes the place of Wellington fast bowler Andy McKay, who hasn't recovered fully from a side strain.

Tuffey played the last of his 26 Tests during the home series against Australia last March. He has played only four Tests in the last six-and-a-half years but is a more regular member of New Zealand's one-day side. Tuffey had missed much of the one-day series against India last month due to a bicep strain.

New Zealand's fast bowling department has been hit hard by injuries in recent times. Hamish Bennett, who impressed with his pace on Test debut against India in early November, suffered a groin strain in that match and hasn't played high-level cricket since. McKay is back to bowling, but isn't fit enough for the sustained spells required in Test matches.

The other fast bowlers in the New Zealand Test squad, which was announced two weeks ago, are Chris Martin, Tim Southee, Brent Arnel and allrounder James Franklin.

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Pakistan tour of New Zealand 2010/11 ( 2 Test & 6 ODi )

Jan 07 Fri - Jan 11 Tue	New Zealand v Pakistan, 1st Test	Seddon Park	Hamilton
Jan 15 Sat - Jan 19 Wed	New Zealand v Pakistan, 2nd Test	Basin Reserve	Wellington
Jan 22 - Sat	New Zealand v Pakistan, 1st ODI	Westpac Stadium	Wellington
Jan 26 - Wed	New Zealand v Pakistan, 2nd ODI	Queenstown Events Centre	Queenstown
Jan 29 - Sat	New Zealand v Pakistan, 3rd ODI	AMI Stadium	Christchurch
Feb 01 - Tue	New Zealand v Pakistan, 4th ODI	McLean Park	Napier
Feb 03 - Thu	New Zealand v Pakistan, 5th ODI	Seddon Park	Hamilton
Feb 05 - Sat	New Zealand v Pakistan, 6th ODI	Eden Park	Auckland

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Nathan McCullum stars in series win

New Zealand performances have often been noted for being greater than the sum of their parts, and all the parts were on display at Seddon Park, where the hosts sealed the series with a dominant all-round display. Martin Guptill, James Franklin, Scott Styris and Ross Taylor all contributed with the bat, but Peter McGlashan stole the show with a 10-ball 26 that featured some scintillating stroke play. Nathan McCullum then produced a tight spell to asphyxiate the Pakistan chase, with support from Luke Woodcock, and he finished with 4 for 16. Kyle Mills, Tim Southee and Ian Butler were also among the wickets as Pakistan fell 39 runs short of New Zealand's 185.

Pakistan were in no mood to wait as Mohammad Hafeez lofted Franklin over cover for four off the first ball of the innings before hitting him over square leg two balls later - this time for six. Kyle Mills was welcomed into the attack with two sixes, but took the wicket of Shahid Afridi as the batsman made room, only to watch his middle stump cartwheel after missing a slower full toss.

Hafeez wasn't about to ease up, though, finding boundaries with regularity and scampering between the wickets with Ahmed Shehzad, as they stayed in touch with the required-rate with. They rode their luck too: Ross Taylor dropped a sitter off Hafeez on 44, and aerial mis-hits found their way into vacant areas more than once.

Shehzad was dismissed attempting an ambitious inside-out wallop, as Styris ran around the extra-cover boundary to complete a running catch, and when Hafeez and Younis Khan were dismissed soon after, Pakistan looked poised for a trademark capitulation.

But it was the choke, not the collapse, that did for Pakistan as New Zealand applied the squeeze through McCullum and Woodcock. Umar Akmal's slog over midwicket in the 13th over, an oddity in an otherwise docile period replete with singles and dot-balls as the asking-rate rose steadily. The strangle brought wickets for the hosts, as Asad Shafiq perished attempting to hit out, and the pressure was increased when Abdul Razzaq departed for 14. Umar Gul attempted to launch his first delivery off McCullum over the longest boundary of the ground, but was caught on the line. Akmal was left to perform a miracle with the tail, the required run-rate already tipping 20 and three wickets remaining.

Tim Southee almost had two hat-tricks in two games as Akmal and Riaz were dismissed off consecutive deliveries in the final over, but the game was long over by that stage.

New Zealand's strong total was set up by Guptill, who had lost none of his form and panache from his innings in the first Twenty20. He set about taking apart the Pakistan attack following the early loss of Jesse Ryder. Guptill pulled, glanced, drove and slogged for 44, building a 91-run partnership for the second wicket with James Franklin, who made 39 after being promoted to No. 3. Afridi brought on the spinners to apply the brakes and the move paid dividends momentarily, as wickets fell at regular intervals. His wayward seamers, however, could not stem the flow of runs for extended periods of time. Scott Styris exploited Gul to swipe his way to a 14-ball 34, and Taylor once again provided stability in the middle. But it was Peter McGlashan's dazzling cameo that took New Zealand from a good total to an excellent one as Gul's third over was dispatched for plenty.

Twice McGlashan swept over fine leg, dragging balls from well outside off stump and manipulating the wrists to get the desired elevation and direction, before Afridi was forced to make the field change. Putting a fine leg out meant bringing the third man in, and McGlashan was quick to adapt. A drive past cover brought up the third consecutive four, but the next two deliveries were met by two jaw-dropping reverse pulls, both of which sailed over the ropes to complete a stunning five-ball burst in which 24 runs were plundered. Taylor took control after McGlashan's departure and ensured that New Zealand finished strongly.

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New Zealand aim to clinch series

New Zealand v Pakistan 2nd Twenty20, Hamilton

 A solitary Twenty20 victory is a fickle indicator of a team's form. A win today could be followed by comprehensive defeat tomorrow; such are the vagaries of the format. So New Zealand will not have over-celebrated their success in the opening game against Pakistan, but they will have savoured it. Their five-wicket victory ended a drought that comprised 11 ODIs and three Tests and stretched back to August. The aim will be to clinch the series with another win at Seddon Park.

The result, in the first match of John Wright's tenure as New Zealand coach, was set up by two performances: a five-for from Tim Southee and a blitz from Martin Guptill, who capitalised on the Lilliputian boundaries in Auckland. It was an impressive showing, especially since New Zealand's best cricketers - Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum - were missing from the contest. The responsibility will be on Ross Taylor once again to lead New Zealand against an opponent that is unpredictable.

Pakistan's hit-or-miss side were one of the semi-finalists in the World Twenty20 in May but they are presently on a five-match losing streak, which began during their controversy-ridden tour of England during the summer. They are trialing their captain Shahid Afridi at the top of the order again. The first game against New Zealand was only the third time he's opened in Twenty20 internationals and the outcome was an aggressive 20. The batting remains Pakistan's weakness, while their varied bowling attack, comprising bowlers capable of extreme pace, reverse swing, off and legspin, is their strength. They were undone by the unusual dimensions of Eden Park, and should be more effective in Hamilton.

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McCullum likely to miss first two Twenty20s

New Zealand have suffered a setback as Brendon McCullum is likely to miss the first two Twenty20s against Pakistan due to back stiffness. On Wednesday, he had been named in the squad for the three Twenty20s over the next week but his availability was in doubt after a fitness test. New Zealand are already missing regular captain Daniel Vettori, who has been rested for the Twenty20s.

McCullum had injured his back during the second Test against India in November, in which he scored a double-century to secure a draw, but played in the third Test and three of the five ODIs that followed. The back problem had ruled McCullum out of much of the ongoing HRV Cup, New Zealand's domestic Twenty20 tournament, as well. He plays as a specialist batsman in Tests but continues to keep in the shorter formats.

"He has shown great determination and a great willingness to push through discomfort in order to help New Zealand during the recent tour of India," said selector Glenn Turner, "but because Brendon is committed to being a wicketkeeper-batsman for New Zealand in limited-overs cricket, we are taking a longer-term view and will not risk further setbacks."

The first Test against Pakistan starts on January 7, for which McCullum is expected to be definitely available, though whether he plays the final Twenty20 on December 30 will depend on the result of another fitness test.

"The medical staff are confident that intensive treatment and the right rehabilitation will stabilise his injury and get him back to full fitness," Turner said. "He may be available for selection in the third Twenty20 as a batsman but only if the testing and assessment prove that his involvement will not have a detrimental affect on his overall recovery and his ability to wicket-keep in the one-day series."

The Pakistan series is rounded off by six one-dayers starting January 22 and will be the final international matches for both teams before the World Cup.

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Teams in upheaval evenly matched

December 26, Auckland
Start time 14:00 (01:00 GMT)
(06:00AM Pak)

Pakistan run into another team that is dealing with problems. Compared to the murkiness surrounding Pakistan's cricket - spot-fixing investigations, an inefficient and politically incorrect board, a disappearing wicketkeeper - New Zealand's winless woefulness may seem like a trifle.

Yet, their recent travails in the subcontinent - where they failed to win any of their last 11 one-dayers and three Tests, spread across each of the three World Cup hosting countries - have left their tournament preparations in disarray, with very little time for new coach John Wright to turn things around.

This series - on spongy, seaming tracks and small grounds - against a Pakistan team in its current state, presents New Zealand with less than ideal preparation for the big event, but it gives them a good shot at ending the slump.

Pakistan don't have the luxury of picking and choosing their venues anymore. Security concerns have prevented them from playing at home. This is Pakistan's second visit to New Zealand in a year, a frequency rarely seen from Asian teams.

They begin this tour at the Eden Park in Auckland, the venue that hosted the first ever Twenty20 international, almost six years ago. A lot has changed since that hit-and-giggle encounter, in which Australia and New Zealand sported retro costumes and outmoded facial hair. Three World Twenty20s have come and gone since, with Pakistan making the semi-finals on each occasion and winning the tournament once. This is the format they have always threatened to make their own; so despite their current four-match losing streak and all the other distractions, they come into the series with a dangerous reputation.

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Pakistan vs Newzealand

Two of the big test playing nations struggling to cope with the pressure at the highest level of international cricket will go head to head for a full fledge series which includes 3 Twenty20 matches, 2 Test matches and 6 matches on One Day Internationa series. Pakistan who are coming into this match on the back of a poor series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi and Dubai while New Zealand had absolutely horrific tour of Sub Continent where they lost all five ODI matches against India while before that they were
 hammered by Bangladesh by 4-0 in home series. And that is something which is a big surprise for many of the new Zealand experts specialy considering hte fact that 2011 World Cup will be in India.

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T20 Matches . Pak Vs NZ

01:00 GMT | 14:00 Local 06:00 PKT	New Zealand v Pakistan at Auckland, 1st T20I
06:00 GMT | 19:00 Local           11:00 PKT	New Zealand v Pakistan at Hamilton, 2nd T20I
06:00 GMT | 19:00 Local           11:00 PKT	New Zealand v Pakistan at Christchurch, 3rd T20I

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Mecullam Injured not in T20.

Brendon McCullum has been ruled out of the remainder of the HRV Cup due to a back injury that could affect his participation for the early part of the home series against Pakistan. McCullum had injured his back during the second Test against India, where he scored a double-century to secure a draw, but played in the third Test and three of the five ODIs that followed.

An Otago association statement, as reported in the New Zealand Herald, said the decision to rule out McCullum was "the most common-sense approach for Brendon to rest to give him the best possible opportunity of taking a full part in the upcoming international series". McCullum has played just one HRV Cup game for Otago since returning from India. The series against Pakistan comprises three Twenty20s, two Tests and six ODIs, with the first Twenty20 game to be played on Boxing Day in Auckland.

McCullum opened the batting for New Zealand in both the Tests and the ODIs on the tour of India and captain Daniel Vettori suggested he could keep his place at the top of the order while Jesse Ryder, a regular opener, could be pushed down, given his sound ability against spin. The practice earlier had been to play McCullum down the order when New Zealand's batting was experiencing a low.

"I do feel sorry for Brendon because it's the first suggestion [that is made]," Vettori was quoted by the New Zealand Herald as saying. "It's tough on him and I think he's a real asset at the top of the order in the World Cup. Jesse is such a good player of spin, and with his finishing qualities as well we've put a little more thought into him batting at No 4 in the one-dayers.

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