Cricket: Late wickets put Black Caps in dominant position

Ross Taylor (L) and Jesse Ryder amassed a partnership of 271 runs. Photo / Getty Images

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Jesse Ryder reached 201 before New Zealand's declaration at 619 for nine wickets Friday on the second day of the second cricket test against India.

India was in trouble at stumps in reply, with New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori claiming two wickets to reduce India to 79-3 after 23 overs. Vettori declared New Zealand's first innings with 90 minutes remaining in the second day's play at McLean Park.

Brendon McCullum scored 115, Vettori 55 and James Franklin 52, following Ross Taylor's 151 on the first day, as New Zealand, trailing 1-0 in the three-match series, compiled its third-highest test total.

Vettori joined the New Zealand attack after only nine overs and removed Virender Sehwag for 34 and nightwatchman Ishant Sharma for 0, then took a catch from offspinner Jeetan Patel to dismiss Gautam Gambhir for 16.

Ryder was the star of the day, however, resuming his innings at 137 not out and batting for just over eight hours to raise the third double century and third-highest score by a New Zealander against India.

The stocky left-hander, whose only other test century (102) came two innings previously in the first innings of the first test at Hamilton, was then out to the next ball, bowled off an inside edge by Zaheer Khan. His innings market the 15th test double century by a New Zealand player.

Ryder was also out one ball after achieving his century in the Hamilton test - won by India by 10 wickets - but in combination, across three innings in the series so far, has batted more than 13 hours for 324 runs.

He has now scored 50 or more in four of his last five test innings - including two centuries - and has averaged 132 over a prolific period which began with his 89 in the first innings of the first test against the West Indies in December.

At the end of his innings Friday, he was averaging 64 with two centuries and four half centuries in a test career of only eight matches and 14 innings.

"I'm pretty much speechless," Ryder said. "I wasn't expecting to go out and score a double century. I just knuckled down and played my game and it came off. The last two days just showed we're capable of getting big totals."

Ryder began his marathon vigil when New Zealand was 23-3 in the 11th over Thursday, after winning the toss and batting.

He shared partnerships of 271 for the fourth wicket with Taylor, 121 for the fifth wicket with Franklin, run out for 52 before lunch, and finally 62 for the sixth wicket with McCullum.

McCullum reached his third century in tests three balls before tea and went on to make 115 in a 128-run partnership with Vettori for the seventh wicket. His century came from 131 balls in 141 minutes and contained 11 fours.

Vettori reached a half century, after McCullum's dismissal, in 94 minutes with five fours while Franklin had earlier raised his half century in 164 minutes with seven fours, batting through the vital late stages of the first day and early stages of the second.

Ryder's concentration never wavered throughout the 488 minutes of his innings until, immediately after his double century was raised, he played a loose shot and was bowled by Zaheer. He left the field displaying considerable anger and frustration at the lapse.

"I was greedy and wanted to score more runs," he said. "I was disappointed with myself to get out in that fashion."

Ryder hit 24 fours and a six in a disciplined innings, taking his boundaries from his favorite scoring shots and through optimum scoring areas between backward point and extra cover.

Ryder has battled issues off the field throughout his career, losing his place in the New Zealand team last year when he injured his hand punching a window in a Christchurch bar. He was dropped again during a limited-overs series against the West Indies in December when he missed a team meeting and training session after a late-night drinking session.

THE 200 CLUB

Scorers of test double centuries for New Zealand:

299 - Martin Crowe v Sri Lanka at Wellington, 1991
274* - Stephen Fleming v Sri Lanka at Colombo, 2003
267* - Bryan Young v Sri Lanka at Dunedin, 1997
262 - Stephen Fleming v South Africa at Cape Town, 2006
259 - Glenn Turner v West Indies at Georgetown, 1972
239 - Graham Dowling v India at Christchurch, 1968
230* - Bert Sutcliffe v India at Delhi, 1955
224 - Lou Vincent v Sri Lanka at Wellington, 2005
223* - Glenn Turner v West Indies at Kingston, 1972
222 - Nathan Astle v England at Christchurch, 2002
214 - Mathew Sinclair v West Indies at Wellington, 1999
206 - Martin Donnelly v England at Lord's, 1949
204* Mathew Sinclair v Pakistan at Christchurch, 2001
202 - Stephen Fleming v Bangladesh at Chittagong, 2004
201 - Jesse Ryder v India at Napier, 2009

- AP and NZPA