Indian on top on day three of Ahmedabad Test against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754
IND 1ST INNS 487
NZ 1ST INNS 159/4
New Zealand is reeling on day three of the Ahmedabad Test match against India, as the host bowlers tighten the noose around the tourists after amassing 487 runs in their first innings.
The Black Caps, who resumed their first innings on the overnight score of 60 for 2 lost two more wickets by the lunch interval to give India a real sniff of enforcing the follow-on.
The spinning duo of Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha were the ones who made life tough for the tourists, who have little experience of tackling top class spin bowling.
The first wicket to go on day three was that of Ross http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915, who scored a fighting half-century and proved once again that he was the mainstay of his team’s batting especially in dicey situations.
Taylor, however, fell at the wrong time he faced 124 balls for his 56, before being caught by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 off Harbhajan Singh. Taylor struck 6 fours in his innings.
His partnership with Brendon McCullum was worth 104 runs. The two joined hands with the score at 27/2 and stayed together till it reached 131.
The two seasoned campaigners were sedate in their approach and their partnership came off nearly 35 overs.
The second wicket to fall in the first session of play was that of McCullum, who just like Taylor failed to make the most of a half century and convert it into a three figures score.
McCullum was stumped off Ojha for 65 runs. He faced a total of 122 balls and struck 11 fours in his innings.
McCullum’s demise at the total of 137/4 came as a body blow to the tourists as their two set batsmen left for the hutch with an addition of 6 runs.
New Zealand reached lunch at 159/4 with Jesse Ryder and Kane Williamson at the crease on 8 and 14 runs respectively.
The two batsmen have been in their shells and have faced 44 and 47 balls respectively.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 would be aiming to run through the remainder of the batting line-up and enforce the follow-on, which is still 128 runs away. The tourists have a long tail, which would be exposed to the likes of Harbhajan, Ojha and left arm seamer Zaheer Khan.
Someone from the lower half would have to put his hand up and give company to one of the batsmen, if New Zealand are to go past the follow-on mark.
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