New Zealand openers make a solid start after Harbhajan scores century
New Zealand openers, Tim McIntosh and Brendon McCullum started in a steady manner as they jogged to an unbeaten opening partnership. The Kiwis have added 37 runs, in the process.
The visitors in start of their 2nd innings, trailing by 122 runs, played the first half of their innings in a sedate fashion to avoid early debacles with the new ball. The opening batsmen easily negotiated the new ball attack without losing a
single wicket.
Previously, India piled up a mammoth first innings total of 472 runs to put the opposition under pressure. Harbhajan Singh was the star of the show as he stunned the visitors with his breathtaking century.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 started the proceedings on Day 4, with a score-line of 178/2 with Dravid and Tendulkar on the crease. The overnight batsmen only added 6 more runs, till Daniel Vettori brought about the downfall of Tendulkar with an away turning delivery, which the
batsman edged straight to first slip.
Dravid and Laxman associated themselves in a 75-run resilient partnership to restore the momentum of the innings. In between, Laxman ended up with a score of 74, while Dravid added 45 runs to the total.
The highlight of the innings was a remarkable partnership between Singh and Sreesanth. In their 105-run last wicket stand the duo earned their team a lead of 122 runs to put New Zealand under pressure.
In the making of their delightful partnership, the Turbunator struck a brilliant 111-run knock, including seven fours and seven sixes. His brutal display steered his team to a handy lead.
Moreover, the off-spinner became the first man in the history of Test cricket to score successive hundreds in two Test matches, batting at number 8. Sreesanth completely supported his senior partner, playing a fighting innings of 24 runs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Virender-Sehwag-c95429 started the 2nd innings with a bang, missing out on brisk century by just four runs. Gautam supported him with his fifty in an emphatic first wicket partnership of 160 runs.
For the visiting team, Daniel Vettori was the pick of the bowlers as he registered competent figures of 5/135 in a marathon effort of 50 overs. In a run scoring fest, the left-arm spinner kept his cool as he led http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754’s fight-back with the ball. In
between, he gathered key wickets of Tendulkar and Sehwag.
Apart from the Kiwi skipper, Tim Southee was the only other bowler to make an impact with the red cherry as he recorded moderate figures of 3/119, though his numbers don’t do justice to how well he bowled.
New Zealand openers have to set a strong base for the middle order, if they want to set India a worthy target in the fourth innings to trouble the strong batting line-up of India.
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