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Tea New Zealand 240 for 5 (Taylor 112*, Ojha 3-67) v India
Martin Guptill made 53 before falling to Pragyan Ojha © Associated Press
A sizzling counterattacking century by New Zealand captain Ross Taylor sent out a message to his team-mates: that it was possible to push India on the defensive on their own turf. The departures of two key middle-order men in the middle session of play, however, sent out a different message to India: most of the New Zealand batsmen were not about to bat long enough to maximise the advantage they gained by winning the toss.
At tea, New Zealander were 240 for 5. Taylor was batting on 112 with wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk on 7. This was Taylor's seventh Test century, scored both robustly and in fine style. He had slog swept Ashwin for six before the lunch interval and when he returned, cranked up the gears. India's bowlers were hit all around the Chinnaswamy Stadium, with lusty slog sweeps and spanking shots through cover. New Zealand, or rather Taylor, was scoring at nearly seven runs an over. The hardworking Ojha was punished with four boundaries in his second over after lunch, Zaheer Khan for two, including a disdainful straight drive. Ashwin was guided fine down to the boundary past leg slip, and a wayward Yadav was flicked through square leg. Taylor got to his century in 99 balls, cutting Ojha to the point boundary. A few balls before the century, he had been forced to dive to save himself from being run out over a hesitant second run in the company of wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk.
For a captain who had a miserable first Test - losing the toss, dropping catches in slip and scoring nine of two innings - Taylor's innings on Friday was a more just exhibition of his batting abilities. On New Zealand's miserable tour of the West Indies in July, it was Taylor who had scored the sole New Zealand century, in the fourth ODI in St Kitts. New Zealand's previous Test century had come six months ago from Kane Williamson in a drawn Test against South Africa in Wellington.
The wicket of Daniel Flynn just before the first drinks break in the second session, however, had the tourists lapsing. For the third times in three innings, after playing a fairly determined innings of 33, Flynn tried to sweep Ashwin and was out leg before. In Hyderabad he had been hit low on his front pad in both innings, this time it was on the back leg. The decision was identical all around: out. Franklin then hung around for 35 balls to score 8, taking a short ball barrrage from Umesh Yadav, including one on his body. When presented with a full toss on leg stump from Ojha - which could easily have fallen into the category of bad balls of the day - he tried to flick it past Suresh Raina at midwicket, but an excellent diving catch had New Zealand stuttering again at 215 for 5.
Martin Guptill made 53 before falling to Pragyan Ojha © Associated Press
A sizzling counterattacking century by New Zealand captain Ross Taylor sent out a message to his team-mates: that it was possible to push India on the defensive on their own turf. The departures of two key middle-order men in the middle session of play, however, sent out a different message to India: most of the New Zealand batsmen were not about to bat long enough to maximise the advantage they gained by winning the toss.
At tea, New Zealander were 240 for 5. Taylor was batting on 112 with wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk on 7. This was Taylor's seventh Test century, scored both robustly and in fine style. He had slog swept Ashwin for six before the lunch interval and when he returned, cranked up the gears. India's bowlers were hit all around the Chinnaswamy Stadium, with lusty slog sweeps and spanking shots through cover. New Zealand, or rather Taylor, was scoring at nearly seven runs an over. The hardworking Ojha was punished with four boundaries in his second over after lunch, Zaheer Khan for two, including a disdainful straight drive. Ashwin was guided fine down to the boundary past leg slip, and a wayward Yadav was flicked through square leg. Taylor got to his century in 99 balls, cutting Ojha to the point boundary. A few balls before the century, he had been forced to dive to save himself from being run out over a hesitant second run in the company of wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk.
For a captain who had a miserable first Test - losing the toss, dropping catches in slip and scoring nine of two innings - Taylor's innings on Friday was a more just exhibition of his batting abilities. On New Zealand's miserable tour of the West Indies in July, it was Taylor who had scored the sole New Zealand century, in the fourth ODI in St Kitts. New Zealand's previous Test century had come six months ago from Kane Williamson in a drawn Test against South Africa in Wellington.
The wicket of Daniel Flynn just before the first drinks break in the second session, however, had the tourists lapsing. For the third times in three innings, after playing a fairly determined innings of 33, Flynn tried to sweep Ashwin and was out leg before. In Hyderabad he had been hit low on his front pad in both innings, this time it was on the back leg. The decision was identical all around: out. Franklin then hung around for 35 balls to score 8, taking a short ball barrrage from Umesh Yadav, including one on his body. When presented with a full toss on leg stump from Ojha - which could easily have fallen into the category of bad balls of the day - he tried to flick it past Suresh Raina at midwicket, but an excellent diving catch had New Zealand stuttering again at 215 for 5.