Rain frustrates Kiwis

Faisal's dismissal started the slide

New Zealand v Pakistan, third Test

First innings: Pakistan 104 all out
New Zealand 160-0 (close of play)

Click here for scorecard

New Zealand were left ruing their luck after rain washed out the second day's play of their third and final Test match against Pakistan.

After a brilliant first day in which New Zealand bowled out Pakistan for just 104 runs and then made 160 without loss, the home side could not capitalise on their position.

Play in Hamilton was washed out without a ball being bowled on Wednesday.

New Zealand need to win the Test match to draw the series.

On Tuesday, Kiwis' opening pair of Mathew Bell and Mark Richardson gave the tourists a lesson in batting.

Bell was on 89, his highest Test score, while Richardson was on 64.

New Zealand had taken just 26.5 overs and 128 minutes to destroy the Pakistan batting line-up after putting them in.

The damage was done by opening bowlers Daryl Tuffey and Chris Martin who took four wickets apiece as Pakistan recorded five ducks.

Pakistan lost four wickets for six runs as part of a top-order collapse after an eventful start to the Test in Hamilton.

Martin, who was flayed for 21 runs in his first two overs as openers Imran Farhat and Ijaz Ahmed put on 28 runs in 22 minutes, took 4-0 in 14 balls.

Extravagant shots

But he was expensive on either side of his wicket-taking burst and finished his nine-over spell taking 4-52.

Bell: Test best

He was well-supported by his new-ball partner Tuffey (4-39) and James Franklin (1-10).

The Pakistan batsmen performed poorly on a wicket offering marginal sideways movement and fell to extravagant shots.

Younis Khan, who hammered an unbeaten 36 off 49 balls, and debutant wicketkeeper Mumayun Farhat, 28 off 29 balls with a six and five boundaries, saved face with a 55-run sixth-wicket stand.

The pair hit Pakistan out from 34 for five before collapsing again after the stand when it lost 3-2 in 16 balls.

Martin began the Pakistan slide by removing Ijaz and number three Faisal Iqbal and returned to claim Imran and stand-in skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Inzamam, leading the side in the absence of the injured Moin Khan, was unlucky to be given out leg before wicket by New Zealand umpire Steve Dunne.