ID :
53737
Fri, 04/03/2009 - 18:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/53737
The shortlink copeid
Late fightback takes India to 375 for 9 on Day One
Joseph Hoover
Wellington, Apr 3 (PTI) India scored at a brisk pace to
rattle up 375 for nine in their first innings on the opening
day of the third and final cricket Test against New Zealand,
mainly relying on some lusty hitting by the tailenders, here
Friday.
Put into bat, the Indians adopted an aggressive approach
right through the innings to score at a run rate of 4.16 per
over on a Basin Reserve pitch to leave the series decider
interestingly poised at the end of day one.
The visitors were struggling at 204 for six at one stage
but staged a brilliant recovery through a crucial 79-run
partnership between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (52) and
Harbhajan Singh (60) for the seventh wicket.
Sachin Tendulkar (62) and Virender Sehwag (48) were the
other notable contributors for the tourists who are looking to
record their first Test series win on New Zealand soil in 41
years.
Ishant Sharma (15) and Munaf Patel (14) were the last
Indian pair at the crease when stumps were drawn after playing
out full 90 overs.
Although the Indians put up a decent total, the Kiwis
would also be satisfied to some extent having restricted the
formidable Indian batsmen and will now look to gain a first
innings lead on a pitch which would be at its best for batting
on the second and third day.
India raced to 68 for no loss in the first hour of play
with Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir (23) putting the Kiwi opening
bowlers under the sword.
Sehwag, however, needlessly hung his bat out to an Iain
O'Brien delivery to be caught behind wickets by McCullum after
stitching 73 runs with Gambhir for the opening stand. Sehwag's
51-ball 48 was laced with seven fours and a six.
Gambhir, who had lasted over ten hours in his last
innings, followed Sehwag into the hut, trapped in front by
left arm seamer James Franklin who by far was the most
impressive of the pace quartet in the first session.
Even after the openers fell in quick succession -- in the
space of nine balls -- India reached 101 for 2 at lunch and
Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid (35) ensured no more harm was done
by sharing a 90-run stand for the third wicket.
But once Tendulkar, whose classy 62 took his aggregate to
335 runs from four innings, the floodgates were opened with
India losing three wickets for 39 runs in 15.2 overs.
Tendulkar was rarely troubled in his 85-ball knock which
was studded with 11 fours. But like in both innings at Napier
where he failed to score big after a great start, he wafted
his willow at a distant delivery from Chris Martin to be
caught behind the wicket by Brendon McCullum.
A wee bit later, Laxman (4) committed the same mistake,
chasing Tim Southee to Tim McIntosh at second slip.
Interestingly like Tendulkar, Laxman has succumbed to
catches in the slip cordon in all three innings that he has
been dismissed in this series.
Yuvraj Singh fell for nine LBW to Jesse Ryder though the
television replays indicated the ball could have missed the
off-stump.
After India were struggling at 190 for 5 at tea, Dravid
looked like settling down to play anchor but he perished to a
soft dismissal soon after resumption as his pull shot off
Chris Martin landed straight to James Franklin.
Dravid's 183-minute vigil and 114-ball innings yielded 35
runs which included just three fours.
Dhoni and Harbhajan then hung on to score gritty half
centuries to bail India out of deep trouble. Dhoni's knock
came from 89 balls and studded with six fours and one six.
Harbhajan was lucky not to have got out with a couple of
skiers from his blade falling at no man's land. His 60 came
from 78 deliveries and laced with seven fours and a six.
Zaheer Khan ensured that the tail wagged to the full by
contributed a 23-ball 33 studded with six fours.
Chris Martin was the most successful Kiwi bowler today
with figures of three for 95 while Tim Southee and Iain
O'Brien chipped in with two wickets each.
Earlier, Dhoni returned to lead India after missing the
second Test at Napier due to a sore back. New Zealand made two
changes with Daniel Flynn replacing Jamie How and Southee
coming in place of Jeetan Patel. PTI
Wellington, Apr 3 (PTI) India scored at a brisk pace to
rattle up 375 for nine in their first innings on the opening
day of the third and final cricket Test against New Zealand,
mainly relying on some lusty hitting by the tailenders, here
Friday.
Put into bat, the Indians adopted an aggressive approach
right through the innings to score at a run rate of 4.16 per
over on a Basin Reserve pitch to leave the series decider
interestingly poised at the end of day one.
The visitors were struggling at 204 for six at one stage
but staged a brilliant recovery through a crucial 79-run
partnership between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (52) and
Harbhajan Singh (60) for the seventh wicket.
Sachin Tendulkar (62) and Virender Sehwag (48) were the
other notable contributors for the tourists who are looking to
record their first Test series win on New Zealand soil in 41
years.
Ishant Sharma (15) and Munaf Patel (14) were the last
Indian pair at the crease when stumps were drawn after playing
out full 90 overs.
Although the Indians put up a decent total, the Kiwis
would also be satisfied to some extent having restricted the
formidable Indian batsmen and will now look to gain a first
innings lead on a pitch which would be at its best for batting
on the second and third day.
India raced to 68 for no loss in the first hour of play
with Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir (23) putting the Kiwi opening
bowlers under the sword.
Sehwag, however, needlessly hung his bat out to an Iain
O'Brien delivery to be caught behind wickets by McCullum after
stitching 73 runs with Gambhir for the opening stand. Sehwag's
51-ball 48 was laced with seven fours and a six.
Gambhir, who had lasted over ten hours in his last
innings, followed Sehwag into the hut, trapped in front by
left arm seamer James Franklin who by far was the most
impressive of the pace quartet in the first session.
Even after the openers fell in quick succession -- in the
space of nine balls -- India reached 101 for 2 at lunch and
Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid (35) ensured no more harm was done
by sharing a 90-run stand for the third wicket.
But once Tendulkar, whose classy 62 took his aggregate to
335 runs from four innings, the floodgates were opened with
India losing three wickets for 39 runs in 15.2 overs.
Tendulkar was rarely troubled in his 85-ball knock which
was studded with 11 fours. But like in both innings at Napier
where he failed to score big after a great start, he wafted
his willow at a distant delivery from Chris Martin to be
caught behind the wicket by Brendon McCullum.
A wee bit later, Laxman (4) committed the same mistake,
chasing Tim Southee to Tim McIntosh at second slip.
Interestingly like Tendulkar, Laxman has succumbed to
catches in the slip cordon in all three innings that he has
been dismissed in this series.
Yuvraj Singh fell for nine LBW to Jesse Ryder though the
television replays indicated the ball could have missed the
off-stump.
After India were struggling at 190 for 5 at tea, Dravid
looked like settling down to play anchor but he perished to a
soft dismissal soon after resumption as his pull shot off
Chris Martin landed straight to James Franklin.
Dravid's 183-minute vigil and 114-ball innings yielded 35
runs which included just three fours.
Dhoni and Harbhajan then hung on to score gritty half
centuries to bail India out of deep trouble. Dhoni's knock
came from 89 balls and studded with six fours and one six.
Harbhajan was lucky not to have got out with a couple of
skiers from his blade falling at no man's land. His 60 came
from 78 deliveries and laced with seven fours and a six.
Zaheer Khan ensured that the tail wagged to the full by
contributed a 23-ball 33 studded with six fours.
Chris Martin was the most successful Kiwi bowler today
with figures of three for 95 while Tim Southee and Iain
O'Brien chipped in with two wickets each.
Earlier, Dhoni returned to lead India after missing the
second Test at Napier due to a sore back. New Zealand made two
changes with Daniel Flynn replacing Jamie How and Southee
coming in place of Jeetan Patel. PTI
