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Rediff.com  » Sports » Kiwis strike after posting imposing total

Kiwis strike after posting imposing total

Source: PTI
Last updated on: March 27, 2009 11:46 IST
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- Scorecard

New Zealand piled a mammoth first innings total and then snapped three Indian wickets early to take control of the second Test in Napier on Friday.

After the hosts declared their first essay on 619 for 9 -- Jesse Ryder slamming 201, his maiden double century, and Brendon McCullum 115 -- India lost both openers and night-watchman Ishant Sharma before finishing the day on a jittery 79 for 3, still 540 runs behind.

Rahul Dravid (21) and Sachin Tendulkar (0) will return on Saturday, looking to first knock off the 341 runs India needs to escape the ignominy of following-on.

In the familiar company of Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir (16), Virender Sehwag (34) began in his characteristic swashbuckling fashion, imposing himself on the Kiwi bowlers. New Zealand had a chance to dismiss him when he was on 21, but Martin Guptill's throw missed the stumps by a whisker, the opener nowhere in the frame.

Fortunately for them, the lapse did not prove costly. Sehwag, having hit Daniel Vettori for a six the previous delivery, went for a wild slog-sweep only to bottom edge the ball to Brendon McCullum behind the stumps and perish after a 25-ball 34.

Jeetan Patel then dismissed Gambhir and Vettori trapped Ishant for a duck to compound India's problems.

Earlier, Jesse Ryder's 201, his second hundred against India in three innings, proved the fulcrum around which New Zealand recovered from a shaky 23 for three to stack up an intimidating first innings total.

The stocky left-hander batted with great resolve throughout his 490-minute stay at the crease, inspiring three significant partnerships that drove India to despair.

A powerful striker of the ball, he showed great ability to build his innings, defending when the bowlers demanded respect and attacking when they strayed in line and length.

There were moments when Zaheer Khan and Ishant troubled him with deliveries that slanted away from him, but he dug in to ensure that New Zealand would keep the series bubbling until the third Test at Wellington.

Ryder, resuming at his overnight 137, became only the third Kiwi to score a double hundred against India.

Understandably, he was disappointed after casting away his wicket by he dragged a delivery from Zaheer on to his stumps immediately after bringing up his 200.

It was sad that a man who was patient and watchful while consuming 328 deliveries had to fling his willow in dismay as he entered the dressing room.

It wasn't Ryder's day alone at the McLean Park. James Franklin scored a dignified 52 before falling victim to a misjudged single when Yuvraj relayed the ball to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik as he reluctantly responded to a call from Ryder. The pair raised 121 runs for the fifth wicket, following the record 271 Ryder and Ross Taylor had assimilated on the opening day of the Test.

McCullum and Vettori (55) piled on India's agony in the post-lunch session, garnering 128 runs easily for the seventh wicket.

McCullum got into overdrive the moment he arrived at the crease, caning the bowlers, by now listless and disheartened. Cuts, pulls and drives blazed from his willow as he raced to his third Test hundred. With the declaration around the corner, he departed after chopping Ishant to Tendulkar at deep point.

Vettori, reprieved by Ishant at mid-off off Sehwag when on 37, went on to complete his fifty before dragging an Ishant delivery on to his off-stump.

Zaheer, who developed a sore back after sending down 34 overs, was the pick of the Indian bowlers (3 for 129), though Ishant Sharma also finished with three for 95.

India lead the three-match series 1-0 after the 10-wicket victory in Hamilton last week.

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