New Zealand’s fight-back after Harbhajan Heroics
New Zealand fought back strongly in the 2nd session of play, after Harbhajan Singh dented them with his second consecutive century. The openers, Tim McIntosh and Brendon McCullum mustered a brilliant first innings partnership of 125 runs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 entered the 2nd innings, trailing by 122 runs, despite a gritty bowling performance but found it rather easy as they piled up their runs in 35 overs to remove the 122 run deficit. In the process, this has been the Kiwis' first opening
century partnership since 2004.
McIntosh played steadily for his 49-runs, a resilient innings which provided his senior partner with the support in order to put New Zealand back on track. The left hander cracked up 5 measured boundaries and a well hit six.
McCullum played beautifully for his well engineered 73 runs. His team needed someone to score quick runs at the top order and the master batsman answered his opposition in an emphatic manner to set a solid foundation for the middle order. All his runs came
at a strike rate of over 70.
Moreover, the Kiwi super star is all set to score a massive century to boost his team’s total in order to set India a daunting fourth innings target.
For India, Ojha has been the pick of the bowlers, so far as he broke the 125-run opening stand to bring his team back on the move.
McIntosh might consider himself a bit unlucky after he went for a sweep shot against an off-spinning delivery that struck him on the pads and flew to Pujara, who took a decent catch at short square-leg, but the replay showed there was no contact with the
bat.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 on the other hand are on the field without their premier quick bowler Zaheer Khan. The team from the Subcontinent seemed to have missed the left-arm seamer as they were jolted by a brilliant opening partnership from the opposition’s batsmen.
Previously, India piled a massive first innings total of 472 runs to put the opposition under pressure. In the process, they gained a decisive first innings lead of 122 runs.
The highlight of the Indian innings was the master-stroke of Harbhajan. The turbunator racked up an unbeaten 111-run innings, including seven cracking boundaries and 7 huge sixes, making him the first player to score successive tons in Test matches at number
8.
The visitors will have to bat for almost three more sessions if they are to salvage a draw. Brendon remains the key for his team as they look up to the set batsman to battle it through the Indian bowling.
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