Runs galore for NZ

Black Caps dismiss Indian openers

BY CHRIS BARCLAY

New Zealand rammed home the advantage of a powerful batting display with three breakthroughs to place India on the defensive late on the second day of the second cricket test at Napier's McLean Park today.

Spinners Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel struck in their first overs to reduce India to 79 for three in reply to New Zealand's 619 for nine declared.

Openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir then nightwatchman Ishant Sharma all succumbed in the 23 overs available to the tourists before stumps.

Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on 21 while Sachin Tendulkar had yet to get off the mark after being forced to face seven balls after Sharma departed in the penultimate over.

India's primary goal tomorrow now is to reach the follow mark of 420.

Until New Zealand's spinners weaved their magic, batting milestones mounted as the pitch continued to promote runscoring.

A test that seemed destined to provide only personal satisfaction is now leaning towards New Zealand, although the quality of the pitch suggests it will be difficult for the home side to capture the 17 wickets they need to force a win.

"There's world class players still at the crease and world class players still to come," said vice-captain Brendon McCullum, who joined New Zealand's run glut today with an emotional 115.

"It'll take an amazing effort from us to try and get through these next couple of batsmen. If we can expose the tail early enough it gives us a chance to try and force some sort of result."

Vettori's removal of Sehwag, caught behind for 34 with his sixth ball, triggered a slide that also saw Gambhir survive, but not profit from, a contentious runout decision.

Sharma's demise provided the perfect ending for Vettori, who trapped the fast bowler leg before wicket for a 13-ball duck.

Already on a high after Jesse Ryder's 201, Ross Taylor's 151 and McCullum's third test century, New Zealand now need to remove Dravid and Tendulkar relatively cheaply tomorrow to enhance their prospect of levelling the series ahead of next week's final test in Wellington.

Facing such a heavy runchase, India attacked form the outset, with Sehwag's cameo of 34 lasting just 25 balls.

New Zealand suffered a minor setback when they were denied the scalp of Gambhir on 10 despite television replays suggesting he did not beat a direct hit from Patel.

Third umpire Evan Watkin gave Gambhir the benefit of the doubt even though his bat appeared on -- not over -- the line when a bail was dislodged.

Vettori stood in disbelief but McCullum played down the incident.

"Initially we were told not out and then we were told out ," McCullum said, happy the confusion was not costly.

Gambhir added just six more runs before advancing down the pitch to Patel only to hit directly to Vettori at mid on.

Despite India's difficulties, batting looked demonstrably easier earlier today.

All eyes were on Ryder as he chased a maiden double century and he did not disappoint as he brushed aside any lunchtime nerves by ticking off the nine runs required with ease.

Restarting this morning on 137, Ryder eased his way past 150 from 249 balls before he registered his first boundaries of the day.

He later pulled Zaheer Khan to the fine leg fence for his 24th boundary to reach 200, just the 11th New Zealander to do so in the test arena.

An eight-hour occupation that began when New Zealand were 23 for three ended the following delivery when he chopped Zaheer Khan on to his stumps before storming off in disgust.

"I was disappointed in going so far and working so hard to get to where I did. To get out like that really angered me," Ryder said.

His 328-ball vigil represented the biggest individual test score at McLean Park, surpassing West Indies captain Chris Gayle's 197 there last December.

McCullum needed only 131 balls to register his third test century, his first against a major test playing nation and his first on home soil.

"There was a bit of emotion there," he said.

"No disrespect to Bangladesh and Zimbabwe -- but to get one against a top quality side like India means a lot."

NZ FIRST INNINGS MILESTONES 

Milestones reached in New Zealand's first innings:-

*Jesse Ryder's 201 was New Zealand's 15th test double hundred. He is the 11th batsman in New Zealand's 350-test history to reach 200.

*Ryder's 201 is the highest individual test score made at McLean Park, surpassing the 197 made by West Indies captain Chris Gayle last December.

*Brendon McCullum's 115 is his first test century scored against a major test playing nation. The others were made against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. It is also his first century on home soil.

*Ryder and Ross Taylor's 271-run stand is the best by New Zealand for the fourth wicket against all nations, surpassing Matt Horne and Nathan Astle's 243 against Zimbabwe in Auckland in 1997-98.

*When Ryder reached 150 he joined Taylor (151) in becoming the first New Zealand batsmen to score 150 in the same innings since Scott Styris (170) and Chris Cairns (158) against South Africa in Auckland in 2004.

*When Taylor reached 116 in his innings of 151 he passed 1000 runs in tests in his 16th test.

*New Zealand's 619 for nine declared is their third highest innings in tests behind the 671 for four against Sri Lanka at Wellington in 1991 and 630 for six declared against India at Mohali in 2003.

 SCOREBOARD:

NEW ZEALAND
First innings
(351-4 overnight)
T McIntosh c Karthik b Sharma 12
M Guptill c Sehwag b Khan  8
J How b Khan 1
R Taylor c Y Singh b H Singh 151
J Ryder b Khan 201
J Franklin run out (Yuvraj)  52
B McCullum c Tendulkar b Sharma 115
D Vettori b Sharma  55
I O'Brien not out 1
J Patel c Sharma b H Singh  1

Extras (7b 8lb 7nb)  22

Total (for 9 wkts dec, 154.4 overs) 619

Fall: 21 (McIntosh), 22 (How), 23 (Guptill), 294 (Taylor), 415 (Franklin), 477 (Ryder), 605 (Vettori), 618 (McCullum), 619 (Patel).

Bowling: Z Khan 34-6-129-3 (4nb), I Sharma 27-5-93-3, M Patel 28-3-128-0(2nb), H Singh 41.4-7-120-2, V Sehwag 12-0-73-0 (1nb), Y Singh 12-0-59-0.

INDIA
First innings
G Gambhir c Vettori b Patel  16
V Sehwag c McCullum b Vettori  34
R Dravid not out  21
I Sharma lbw b Vettori 0
S Tendulkar not out 0

   Extras (7lb, 1nb)  8

   Total (for 3 wkts, 23 overs) 79

Fall: 48 (Sehwag), 73 (Gambhir), 78 (Sharma)

Bowling: C Martin 6-1-26-0, J Franklin 5-1-15-0 (1nb), D Vettori 5-1-16-2, I O'Brien 3-2-9-0, J Patel 4-1-6-1.

-NZPA 

- © Fairfax NZ News