India seizes initiative after Harbhajan onslaught
NZ 1st inns 350 & 37/0, IND 472 lunch day 4
Harbhajan Singh notched up his second successive century to propel India to a commanding 122-run lead over New Zealand on day four of the second Test match in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hyderabad-c792.
Resuming at the overnight score of 436 for nine wickets, the hosts carried their score to 472, as the last pair further frustrated New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori and his troops.
Harbhajan, who scored his maiden hundred in the first Test of the series, continued his rich vein of form and showed other other tail-end batsmen how to occupy the crease and frustrate the opposition. He was not simply blocking however and instead attacked at every opportunity, much to the displeasure of the Kiwi bowlers and managed to keep pushing the Indian total forward.
He received great support from last man, Shiv Sreesanth, as the two added 105-runs for the last wicket .The fast bowler scored 24-runs off 71-balls. At the other end Harbhajan carried on his vintage attacking streak, which was mixed with passages of great concentration.
He reached his hundred off 116-balls striking seven fours and as many sixes to overwhelm the opposition. The Test match is turning out to be a dream one for the turbanator, since he also picked up four wickets in the first innings.
At this rate the opposition will be vary of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 because besides their formidable top-order batsmen, they also have Harbhajan and a very stubborn tail to deal with which would make them an extremely tough team to beat in any conditions.
The last Indian wicket fell when Sreesanth was trapped leg-before-wicket by the Black Caps captain, Daniel Vettori, who claimed five wickets for 135 runs. In reply to the Indian batting performance, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 batsmen reached 37 for no loss at lunch, yet they have a big challenge ahead of them as they try to first wipe out the first innings deficit and then try to build a lead of their own. An enthralling session of play is in prospect after the lunch break.
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