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TeaIndia 168 for 4 (Raina 51*, Kohli 33*) v New Zealand 365
A rollicking half-century from Suresh Raina and an 88-run fifth wicket stand with Virat Kohli helped restore India's equilibrium after the loss of Sehwag and Tendulkar soon after lunch. At tea, India were 168 for 4, with Raina on 51 and Kohli on 33.
Raina's was an innings of determination and aggression, and would have given him more breathing space and confidence around his No. 6 spot. What is more, it came at a time India needed their Nos. 5 & 6 to steady the ship as New Zealand's bowlers, who have run in hard all day, threatened to get closer to the Indian lower order. With two quick wickets after lunch, New Zealand had made the most of their first innings total of 365. It was the Kohli-Raina partnership that buoyed India's hopes.
Full tea report to follow
Lunch report
India went into lunch with the prospect of a second session tuck-in for dessert lying ahead. New Zealand were all out for 365 and had returned to the field with energy and purpose. They took the wickets of Gautam Gamhir and Cheteshwar Pujara, and had India at 63 for two at lunch.
At the crease, though, were Virender Sehwag on 39 and Sachin Tendulkar on 4. Sehwag had begun his innings watchfully, usually a sign of him wanting to settle in; but whenever offered width, he was able to stroke the ball through to the cover fence. His 39 came off 56 balls with seven boundaries, an appeal for leg before and two nicks through the slips. Tendulkar, who was tested outside his offstump by Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell, stayed cautious at the other end.
Once New Zealand were all out for 365, India's openers had the task of negotiating the swinging new ball under cloudy skies. New Zealand opening bowlers, Trent Boult and Tim Southee, produced a demanding opening spell. It was left-armer Boult who generated the first chance off Gambhir in his second over; the left-hander nicked an outswinger straight into third slip Brendon McCullum's mid-riff. Once into his hands, though, the ball popped straight out.
Gambhir was on 1 at the time and added only one more to that score. Right-armer Southee, in the next over, got the ball to slant across him and Gambhir left three of them judiciously. The fourth was far straighter, and as Gambhir shouldered arms, the ball clipped a single bail off the stumps.
Southee, who had replaced Chris Martin - New Zealand's third highest Test wicket-taker after Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori - in this Test, instantly justified his selection. Not merely because he'd hit a six off Umesh Yadav in his brief innings, but the persistence and accuracy with which he had bowled all morning. He had a strong shout after hitting Sehwag on his backfoot in front of leg and middle in his first over, the umpire judging the point of impact to be slightly high.
He then got the wicket of Gambhir in his second, and produced a well-directed bouncer at Cheteshwar Pujara three overs later. Pujara, who has an appetite for the now-rarely-seen hook shot, went for it, but his mistimed stroke ended up in Boult's hands who came running along the fine-leg boundary.
Play started half an hour early and New Zealand lost their last four wickets for 20 runs within the first 45 minutes. The two overnight batsmen - Kruger van Wyk and Bracewell, who put up 99 for the seventh wicket - met with contrasting ends. Van Wyk fell to a sustained spell of inquiry from Zaheer Khan, trying to guide one through to third man, Gambhir-style, but instead edging it to the diving Suresh Raina at second slip. Bracewell was unlucky to be the non-striker who ended up backing too far. Ojha finished with 5-99, when he had Southee leg before for 14.
With the most experienced Indian batsmen still at the crease, New Zealand went into the break with 50-50 returns.
A rollicking half-century from Suresh Raina and an 88-run fifth wicket stand with Virat Kohli helped restore India's equilibrium after the loss of Sehwag and Tendulkar soon after lunch. At tea, India were 168 for 4, with Raina on 51 and Kohli on 33.
Raina's was an innings of determination and aggression, and would have given him more breathing space and confidence around his No. 6 spot. What is more, it came at a time India needed their Nos. 5 & 6 to steady the ship as New Zealand's bowlers, who have run in hard all day, threatened to get closer to the Indian lower order. With two quick wickets after lunch, New Zealand had made the most of their first innings total of 365. It was the Kohli-Raina partnership that buoyed India's hopes.
Full tea report to follow
Lunch report
India went into lunch with the prospect of a second session tuck-in for dessert lying ahead. New Zealand were all out for 365 and had returned to the field with energy and purpose. They took the wickets of Gautam Gamhir and Cheteshwar Pujara, and had India at 63 for two at lunch.
At the crease, though, were Virender Sehwag on 39 and Sachin Tendulkar on 4. Sehwag had begun his innings watchfully, usually a sign of him wanting to settle in; but whenever offered width, he was able to stroke the ball through to the cover fence. His 39 came off 56 balls with seven boundaries, an appeal for leg before and two nicks through the slips. Tendulkar, who was tested outside his offstump by Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell, stayed cautious at the other end.
Once New Zealand were all out for 365, India's openers had the task of negotiating the swinging new ball under cloudy skies. New Zealand opening bowlers, Trent Boult and Tim Southee, produced a demanding opening spell. It was left-armer Boult who generated the first chance off Gambhir in his second over; the left-hander nicked an outswinger straight into third slip Brendon McCullum's mid-riff. Once into his hands, though, the ball popped straight out.
Gambhir was on 1 at the time and added only one more to that score. Right-armer Southee, in the next over, got the ball to slant across him and Gambhir left three of them judiciously. The fourth was far straighter, and as Gambhir shouldered arms, the ball clipped a single bail off the stumps.
Southee, who had replaced Chris Martin - New Zealand's third highest Test wicket-taker after Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori - in this Test, instantly justified his selection. Not merely because he'd hit a six off Umesh Yadav in his brief innings, but the persistence and accuracy with which he had bowled all morning. He had a strong shout after hitting Sehwag on his backfoot in front of leg and middle in his first over, the umpire judging the point of impact to be slightly high.
He then got the wicket of Gambhir in his second, and produced a well-directed bouncer at Cheteshwar Pujara three overs later. Pujara, who has an appetite for the now-rarely-seen hook shot, went for it, but his mistimed stroke ended up in Boult's hands who came running along the fine-leg boundary.
Play started half an hour early and New Zealand lost their last four wickets for 20 runs within the first 45 minutes. The two overnight batsmen - Kruger van Wyk and Bracewell, who put up 99 for the seventh wicket - met with contrasting ends. Van Wyk fell to a sustained spell of inquiry from Zaheer Khan, trying to guide one through to third man, Gambhir-style, but instead edging it to the diving Suresh Raina at second slip. Bracewell was unlucky to be the non-striker who ended up backing too far. Ojha finished with 5-99, when he had Southee leg before for 14.
With the most experienced Indian batsmen still at the crease, New Zealand went into the break with 50-50 returns.