Indian tail wags to take the team to safe score by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	New Zealand v India
Player:	MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, SR Tendulkar
Event:	India in New Zealand 2008/09

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DateLine: 3rd April 2009

 

Indian tailenders frustrated New Zealand to be at 375/9 in their first innings at stumps on the first day of the third and final Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington. India scored 185 runs in 35 overs with the loss of 4 wickets in the last session of the day with Ishant Sharma (15) and Munaf Patel (14) still at the crease. This was after New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and put India in to bat. With an unassailable 1-0 lead in hand, India are looking to notch their first Test win in Wellington in 34 years and even if they draw this Test, they will achieve a historic series triumph, last accomplished by Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi's team in 1967-68.

 

This is India's highest score on the opening day of a Test that was built on impressive contributions by the lower order batsmen. Zaheer Khan hit 6 fours in his 23-ball 33 before Iain O'Brien had him caught behind by wicket keeper Brendon McCullum by a bouncer. This was after Chris Martin ended Harbhajan Singh's fighting innings to reduce India to 315/8. Harbhajan frustrated New Zealand hitting a six and 7 fours in his 60-run knock that came off 78 balls. Harbhajan reached his 7th half-century with a six off Vettori over long-on. Harbhajan added 79 vital runs with his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the 7th wicket. Dhoni hit his 15th half-century before being dismissed by Tim Southee. Dhoni edged a short delivery to fine leg for Iain O'Brien to take the catch. The Indian captain hit a six and 6 fours in his 52-run knock.

 

The partnership between Dhoni and Harbhajan came after Chris Martin dismissed Rahul Dravid to reduce India to 204/6 after tea. The breakthrough came when Dravid mistimed a pull to square leg for James Franklin to take the catch. Dravid had done all the hard work and was looking set for a big score before one false shot resulted in his dismissal. Dravid hit 3 fours in his 35-run knock. New Zealand fought back brilliantly in the second session to reduce India to 190/5 in their first innings at tea.

 

Jesse Ryder trapped Yuvraj Singh plumb in front of the wicket to reduce India to 182/5. Yuvraj hit 2 fours in his 9-run knock before Ryder got the Kiwis the fifth breakthrough. Shortly before that, Tim Southee dismissed VVS Laxman for 4 to put India at 173/4. Southee took his first wicket when Laxman reached out to a wide delivery and edged to second slip where Tim McIntosh dived to his left to take the catch. Earlier, Chris Martin dismissed Sachin Tendulkar to reduce India to 165/3. The dismissal came when Tendulkar went to the back foot to play a square drive away from his body with hardly any foot movement but the extra bounce had him edging the delivery to keeper Brendon McCullum for the catch. Tendulkar struck 11 fours in his 62-run knock and added 90 runs with Rahul Dravid for the third wicket. This was after Tendulkar achieved his 53rd fifty with his 9th hit to the fence - a fantastic square drive off Iain O'Brien that he executed by lifting his front leg and shifting his entire weight on the back foot.

 

Tendulkar and Dravid steadied the Indian innings that was rocked by local lads O'Brien and James Franklin who dismissed Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir respectively in successive overs to put India at 75/2 in the first session. O'Brien got Kiwis the first breakthrough when Sehwag was cramped for room to an incoming delivery and edged it to keeper McCullum for the catch. Sehwag hit a six and 7 fours in his 51-ball 48. In The next over, Franklin took his first wicket in the series when he trapped Gambhir plumb in front of the wicket by a cross seam delivery. Gambhir hit 2 fours in his 23-run knock. Sehwag and Gambhir gave India a brisk start by scoring 73 runs in 15 overs.