Cricket: Huge task ahead for Black Caps

New Zealand need to construct their own version of The Wall to block India's advance towards victory in the third and deciding cricket test.

Their prospects are particularly bleak with two days remaining as they conceded a first innings deficit of 373 runs before losing opener Tim McIntosh late in the third session last ight.

Brendon McCullum will resume today alongside nightwatchman Gareth Hopkins with the tourists at 24 for one and a very distant 349 runs away from forcing the world's top test nation to bat a second time.

They got a good, long look at what was required for them to save the game as Rahul Dravid, nicknamed The Wall due to his impenetrable defence and powers of concentration, steered India to a dominating 566 for eight declared in their first innings at VCA Stadium.

A man not far off his 38th birthday, Dravid showed all the class of a master craftsman as he compiled a diligent, thoughtful 191 in 573 minutes to set up his team's victory march after they had lost three quick wickets after they had resumed this morning at 292 for two.

He shared an Indian record equalling stand of 193 with skipper MS Dhoni, who fell two short of his fifth test century when he scooped a soft catch back at spinner Daniel Vettori, but by then India had long been in total command.

Dravid, who is on the brink of passing 12,000 runs at test level, feels it is up to his bowlers to make life as uncomfortable as possible for the tourists in the opening session today.

"Hopefully we can make it difficult but it is still a good wicket. It is not turning and bouncing a lot," he said after registering his 31st test century, containing 21 fours off 396 deliveries.

"The critical thing will be the first session tomorrow with the ball still being very hard.

"If we can take a few wickets in the morning that will put a lot of pressure on them.

"We have to bowl well in that first session because in these conditions, and when the ball becomes softer, it is hard to get the edges to carry.

"The ball also doesn't travel that quickly off the wicket and that gives you time to adjust."

Dravid's thoughts should be required reading for New Zealand's batsmen, who are charged with batting the best part of six sessions to rescue the situation for the tourists as a draw is their best case scenario.

Dravid paid tribute to New Zealand captain Vettori, who has bowled a truckload of overs in this series and had figures of two for 178 off a marathon 58 overs on day three.

"Apart from Viru (Virender Sehwag) none of us have been able to dominate him easily," the veteran said.

"Whenever foreign teams come to India we always take their spinners for 3-1/2 to four runs an over and we are able to dominate them. That puts a lot of pressure on their seamers.

"But with someone like Vettori, who is not going for a lot of runs and he's controlling the game, it has given them the chance to rotate their fast bowlers."

New Zealand enjoyed their best session of the entire match this morning when they captured the prized wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman as well as young left-hander Suresh Raina, all at cheap cost.

Tendulkar added only four runs, via an edge to third man, to his overnight 57 when new cap Andy McKay snared the biggest scalp in world cricket by angling an effort ball across the batsman for wicketkeeper Hopkins to accept the resulting edge.

That left Tendulkar still in search of his next test century which will see him become the first player in history to reach the mark on 50 occasions.

While the crowd would have been heartbroken, Dravid's clinical response lifted the mood appreciably.

- NZPA