Pakistan's batsmen took advantage of the chance for some realistic batting practice in match conditions to save their game with New Zealand's Shell Trophy champions Wellington today.

Pakistan started out still 119 runs behind Wellington when play started today but with Humayun Farhat and Imran Farhat launching an all-out assault, a sizeable dent was made in the deficit.

Humayun opened out in a way not seen previously on the tour and he raced to his half century off 41 balls by hitting eight fours and a six. He made life especially miserable for Wellington's best-performed bowler of the summer Iain O'Brien, taking 27 runs off his first four overs.

Farhat was the first out on 34, scored off 60 balls, when the score was 105 which repaid captain Richard Jones' decision to have Mark Jefferson bowl his left-arm spinners.

Jefferson also had Humayun out, caught by Jones running around from mid off, for 74 scored off 61 balls.

Then while the scoring rate slowed with Faisal Iqbal and Misbah-ul-Haq working the ball around through the defensive field placings, the deficit was erased and then built upon.

The pair scored their half centuries off successive balls, Faisal off 112 balls and Misbah off 91, before Misbah got out off the third ball, caught at close cover by Grant Donaldson.

Another 51 runs were added before Faisal was finally out unable to avoid the temptation posed by a rising ball outside off stump when left-arm medium-fast bowler James Franklin was reintroduced into the attack.

Pakistan lost three wickets for 17 runs at that stage as Jefferson picked up two more.

They were beyond the point of no return at that stage with Wellington still needing three more wickets and the required run rate already over 6.5 an over.

Of concern to the tourists would have been the manner of Younis Khan's dismissal. The first Test century maker and man of the match charged down the wicket to Jefferson but only got an edge and was taken at first slip for 19.

Pakistan coach Javed Miandad was delighted that his younger players had the chance for some match play while on tour.

The modern schedule of Tests and One-Day Internationals did not make it easy to have such games.

Faisal's effort in batting so well seems likely to confirm his placement at No 3 for the third Test in Hamilton.

"We have been looking for someone for some time to play at No 3 and no-one has been established since Ijaz Ahmed played there," he said.

Having been out of the side in recent times, Ijaz opened in the last game and that was likely to be the case for him again.

Miandad said he was not concerned about the prospect of a greener track being prepared for the Test in Hamilton.

"I have full confidence my players will handle it. They are class players and have played enough Test cricket to know what is required. They have played on fast tracks in Australia and the West Indies.

"And I haven't seen any wicket that is the same for the whole five days.

"I believe if you are good enough you can play on any sort of wicket," he said.

© CricInfo