New Zealand 222-3 at stumps on 1st day

Kane Williamson me an unbeaten 94 and shared a 120-run partnership with Ross Taylor which lifted New Zealand into a strong position at stumps Saturday on first day of first cricket test against Pakistan.Taylor me 70 and Williamson ded a furr 89 with Henry Nicholls who was 42 t out at stumps when New Zealand was 222-3.

Williamson came to crease when only three balls h been bowled and remained for next 86.3 overs, reshaping New Zealand innings and changing course of first day.Pakistan h been on top after winning toss, bowling on a green pitch and after Shaheen Afridi removed New Zealand openers Tom Latham for 4 and Tom Blundell for 5 with only 13 runs on board.New Zealand faced its first real crisis of domestic summer. In two tests against West Indies it lost toss and me scores of 519-7 and 460 to set up innings victories and a 2-0 series sweep.

On Saturday, Pakistan's more disciplined attack me much better use of toss and conditions than West Indies. Shaheen brought pace and bounce which generated catches behind wicket: Latham and Blundell were caught in slip cordon and Taylor fell to a catch by wicketkeeper Mohamm Rizwan.

Mohamm Abbas brought immense accuracy and perseverance, conceding only 10 runs from his first 11 overs.Williamson and Taylor were forced to graft for runs early. Taylor's half century from 127 balls was his 34th in tests but second slowest in terms of balls faced while Williamson's, from 154 balls, was his 33rd and his second slowest in New Zealand.

By lunch y h lifted New Zealand to 55-2 and y reached ir half century partnership from 125 balls. pitch mellowed in second session and, while Pakistan bowlers maintained good line and length, Taylor and Williamson were able to bat more freely. y posted ir 10th century partnership in tests from 249 deliveries, ding to record of New Zealand's most prolific test partnership.

Taylor h special cause to celebrate as he was making a record 438th international appearance across all formats, over-taking Daniel Vetorri's record of 437. He has form a special alliance with Williamson, with whom he has batted more than 150 times in tests and scored more than 3,000 runs.

"At start of my career I was happy just to play one or two games and to have come this far is nice," Taylor said.

Throughout whole of summer pitches have been a little bit green, this one t as green as or two. In tests you expect it to do a little bit for first couple of hours and it certainly did that.We're happy to get through pretty unscad: 222-3 after losing those early wickets we certainly would have taken at start of day.

Even Williamson h his moments. He was dropped at second slip, a hard chance, when he was 18 and again by Haris Sohail when he was 86. But he batted on, unruffled by those moments.

His late partnership with Nicholls gave substance to New Zealand total and concern to Pakistan. Williamson me a career-best 251 in his most-recent innings in first test against West Indies while Nicholls me 174 in second test.

Shaheen finished day with 3-55 while Abbas h wicket for 25 runs from 21 overs, 11 of which were maidens.

(IM CREDITS:Twitter/@BLACKCAPS)