New Zealand inflict follow on, India struggle to save match By Joseph Hoover

Napier, Mar 28 (PTI) Inept batting by India's
much-vaunted line-up left them with the herculean task of
saving the second cricket Test which looks heavily tilted in
New Zealand's favour after the third day's play here Saturday.

Resuming at 79 for three, India's hopes of batting their
way into the match depended largely on Sachin Tendulkar (49),
Rahul Dravid (83) and VVS Laxman (76) but none of the
stalwarts could hang around long enough as their first essay
folded for 305, thus incurring follow on.

With a healthy 314-run first innings lead and a hungry
pace battery operating with the new ball at his disposal, Kiwi
captain Daniel Vettori had little hesitation in inflicting
follow on and India dug themselves deeper in the hole losing
stand-in captain Virender Sehwag (22) to finish day three on
47 for one in their second essay.

Gautam Gambhir (14) and Rahul Dravid (11) were in the
middle at stumps with India still trailing the hosts by 267
runs and risking a rout that would level the series 1-1.

With two full days left, India's chance of winning the
match and sealing the series here itself lay in tatters, while
New Zealand remain firmly on course to restore parity in the
three-match series.

India's fallibility against the moving ball came to the
fore again as New Zealand, riding on a joint five-wicket burst
by Chris Martin (3/89) and Iain O'Brien (2/66) bowled them out
for 305 and enforced the follow-on.

The second new ball sounded India's death knell as Yuvraj
Singh (0), Dinesh Karthik (6), Laxman, Harbhajan Singh (18)
and Zaheer Khan (8) fell in a heap with the visitors losing
their last five wickets in 62 balls.

The startling Indian exodus could possibly be attributed
to Dravid, who though made an imperious 83. India had just
recovered from Tendulkar's fall and had sauntered to 246 for
four when Dravid chased a wide Jesse Ryder delivery to be
snaffled behind the wicket by Brendon McCullum.

Vettori, a smart leader that he has been, soon summoned
the new ball, which the Indian lower half failed to counter.

Laxman, who notched his 38th Test half century, was the
tourists' last hope but he too wafted his willow at a Martin
delivery which left him late, to be snared at second slip by
Tim McIntosh.

Earlier resuming at their overnight 79 for three, Indian
seemed to be in fine fettle as Dravid and Tendulkar met the
cherry with the meat of their bat. Their elegance at the
crease and crisp stroke play belied what was to come in the
latter part of the day.

The Mumbaikar was on top of his game, executing some
exquisite strokes on the up, a couple of square drives coming
straight out of the Tendulkar stable. He had asserted himself
at the square by taking 14 runs, including a six over
mid-wicket, off Jeetan Patel but paid the price when he tried
to work the off-spinner to third man, the ball flying to Ross
Taylor at first slip.
His 49 was interspersed with seven other hits to the
pickets.

India were still unperturbed as long as Dravid and Laxman
were at the crease, even harboring hopes of a great resurgence
which these accomplished batsmen have orchestrated against
Australia at Kolkata (2001) and Adelaide (2003). But the
moment 'The Wall' collapsed, it was a door way to heaven for
the Kiwis.

Martin was sharp and accurate, finding the outside of
Yuvraj, Karthik and Laxman's blades to take his Test tally to
152 sticks in his 47th match. O'Brien picked up the scalps of
Harbhajan and Zaheer to hasten the Indians to their doom. PTI
JH MRM
HMK