New Zealand bowled with discipline and, despite Azhar Ali and Younis Khan's half-centuries, looked set for a lead in the second Test against Pakistan in Dubai on Wednesday.
Pakistan lost Asad Shafiq in seamer Tim Southee’s penultimate over for 44 to close the third day on 281-6, still trailing by 122 runs on New Zealand’s first innings total of 403.
Sarfraz Ahmed was unbeaten on 28 and Yasir Shah.
Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi led the New Zealand bowling with two for 65.
Century stand
Pakistan, resuming at 34-2, saw off the first session without losing any wicket as Younis Khan (72) and Azhar Ali (75) shared a 113-run stand for the third wicket.
But New Zealand got four wickets in the next two sessions to press home its claims for a useful lead and in turn improve its chances for a series-levelling win.
Pakistan won the first Test by 248 runs in Abu Dhabi.
Ali added another 50 runs with skipper Misbah-ul Haq, but New Zealand hit back with the second new ball taken after 83 overs with the score at 194-3.
Trent Boult claimed his first wicket in the series when he produced a beautiful delivery which got the edge of Misbah’s bat and landed in the safe hands of Ross Taylor at first slip.
Misbah’s 28 had two boundaries and a six.
Ali drove spinner Mark Craig through point for three to complete his 18th half-century. But he too fell soon, trying to cut Sodhi and was bowled. He hit six boundaries and a six during his patient five-hour 22-minute vigil.
Shafiq was lucky to survive at 26 when Boult bowled him with a sharp incoming delivery but much to New Zealand's dismay it turned out to be a no-ball.
He too failed to bat for long and was caught off a loose shot in the end, adding 59 for the sixth wicket with Sarfraz.
Scoreboard
New Zealand — 1st innings: 403.
Pakistan — 1st innings: S. Masood b Sodhi 13 Taufeeq st Watling b Craig 16, Azhar Ali b Sodhi 75, Younis Khan c Craig b Neesham 72, Misbah-ul Haq c Taylor b Boult 28, A. Shafiq c Taylor b Southee 44, S. Ahmed (batting) 28, Yasir Shah (batting) 1; Extras (b-1, lb-2, nb-1): 4; Total (for six wkts. in 109 overs): 281.
Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Masood), 2-32 (Taufeeq), 3-145 (Younis), 4-195 (Misbah), 5-220 (Ali), 6-279 (Shafiq).
New Zealand bowling: Boult 22-8-46-1, Southee 21-3-41-1, Craig 24-5-94-1, Sodhi 30-7-65-1, Anderson 7-0-26-0, Neesham 5-1-6-1.
