Asif, Kaneria heroics push New Zealand to door of defeat against Pakistan in final test - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Pakistan team is eyeing a series-levelling victory against New Zealand after establishing a 229-run lead at stumps on day two of the second Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington. Resuming the day on 161-6, the tourists managed to finish at 264, after wicket keeper Kamran Akmal (70) and fast bowler Umar Gul added 64 runs for the eighth wicket. New Zealand did not start their reply well, as fast bowler Mohammad Aamer got the wicket of Martin Guptill for a first-ball duck, while paceman Mohammad Asif dismissed Tim McIntosh for four to leave the home side reeling on 5-2. The Kiwis were eventually dismissed for 99 runs in a mere 36.5 overs, with Asif and spinner Danish Kaneria taking seven wickets between themselves. During the process the home side lost six wickets for 14 runs in 39 balls, and recorded an all-time low at the venue against Pakistan, relegating the 103 cribbed against a rampant Shoaib Akhtar in the Boxing Day test of 2003, The New Zealand Herald reported. Ross Taylor and Daniel Flynn registered the largest partnership of 43 runs before Taylor was bowled by Gul. In the second innings Pakistan scored 64 runs for the loss of two wickets at stumps. Scorecard: Pakistan First innings (161-6 overnight) I Farhat c Taylor b Vettori 32 S Butt c Tuffey b O'Brien 29 U Akmal b Tuffey 46 M Yousuf lbw b Vettori 0 Misbah-ul-Haq lbw b Vettori 21 S Malik c Vettori b Tuffey 9 K Akmal c Vettori b Tuffey 70 M Aamer c Taylor b O'Brien 21 U Gul c O'Brien b Tuffey 31 M Asif c and b Vettori 4 D Kaneria not out 0 Extras (1w) 1 Total (all out, 88.2 overs) 264 Fall: 60 (Butt), 66 (Farhat), 66 (Yousuf), 119 (U Akmal), 131 (Malik), 156 (Misbah), 193 (Aamer), 257 (K Akmal), 264 (Asif), 264 (Gul) Bowling: C Martin 20-2-64-0, D Tuffey 23.2-5-64-4, I O'Brien 23-4-78-2 (1w), D Vettori 22-6-58-4. New Zealand First innings T McIntosh c Butt b Asif 4 M Guptill c K Akmal b Aamer 0 D Flynn lbw b Asif 29 R Taylor b Gul 30 P Fulton lbw b Gul 0 G Elliott c and b Kaneria 20 B McCullum c Malik b Asif 0 D Vettori c Misbah b Kaneria 6 D Tuffey c Yousuf b Asif 3 I O'Brien c Farhat b Kaneria 0 C Martin not out 0 Extras (7lb) 7 Total (all out, 36.5 overs) 99 Fall: 1 (Guptill), 5 (McIntosh), 48 (Taylor), 52 (Fulton), 85 (Flynn), 85 (McCullum), 95 (Elliott), 96 (Vettori), 96 (O'Brien), 99 (Tuffey) Bowling: M Aamer 11-2-25-1, M Asif 12.5-2-40-4, U Gul 7-2-21-2, D Kaneria 6-2-6-3. Pakistan - Second innings I Farhat c Fulton b O'Brien 35 S Butt c Taylor b O'Brien 18 M Yousuf not out 10 Misbah-ul-Haq not out 1 Extras 0 Total (for 2 wkts, 23 overs) 64 Fall: 49 (Butt), 54 (Farhat). Bowling: C Martin 6-1-21-0, D Tuffey 4-0-15-0, I O'Brien 6-1-16-2, D Vettori 7-4-12-0. (ANI) Ends VS NNNN ZCZC ANI (National) Indian state governments to be alert on Babri demolition anniversary New Delhi, Dec 4 (ANI): Union Government on Friday asked all state governments to be on high alert on December 6, the day on which the Babri Mosque structure at Ayodhya was demolished in 1992. In a communication, the Union Home Ministry said: "It is possible that some misdirected elements may wish to disturb communal peace and harmony. Hence, all State Governments have been advised to remain on high alert on December 6." It also asked the states to deploy security forces for maintaining law and order in sensitive places. Centre also requested all sections of the society to maintain communal peace and harmony. "The year 2009 has been remarkably free of any communal conflict. All religious festivals were celebrated peacefully. People from all walks of life participated in the celebrations. It is the Government's desire that this exemplary sense of unity and fraternity should prevail in the remaining part of the year as well as in the future," communication stated. On December 6, 1992, Karsevaks led by Hindu leaders, destroyed the controversial Babri Mosque in Ayodhya. Since then, every year the Hindu fundamentalists celebrate the day as shourya divas, while the Muslim Community observe it as a Black Day. Recently, Central Government tabled the Justice Liberhan Commission's report on Babri Mosque demolition, before the parliament following its leak in a daily.