Cricket: Tailender's big hit foils NZ resurgence

New Zealand delivered some body blows, but an Indian tailender frustrated their intentions in the first test yesterday.

India were dismissed for 487 on the stroke of tea at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad after beginning the second day looking likely to rack up a 550-plus total.

The Indians, who resumed on 329 for three after first day centuries to Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, lost five wickets for 29 runs in less than 14 overs to be 412-8.

But then a lusty, career-best 69 from Harbhajan Singh handed the initiative back to the hosts.

Offspinner Jeetan Patel sparked a middle order collapse by removing linchpins Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman shortly before lunch, placing India under pressure for the first time in the match.

Tendulkar and Laxman each made 40 before New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori joined the party on a lifeless surface beginning to accept slow turn.

Vettori had his Indian counterpart MS Dhoni caught bat-pad, and bowled Zaheer Khan early in the second session.

But the tourists were then held up by an adventurous Harbhajan, who raised his eighth test half-century off 58 balls in 77 minutes.

He ended with five fours and three sixes after sharing a stand of 66 for the ninth wicket with Pragyan Ojha, who was on 11 when he became Patel's third victim, lbw after not offering a shot.

Harbhajan's resistance ended when Vettori induced an edge behind to snare his fourth wicket, deserved reward after a marathon effort in which he wheeled down 54.5 overs for his four for 118.

Vettori was clearly the best of the bowlers, the left-arm spinner putting a firm clamp on the scoring by conceding just 13 runs from 14 overs.

Patel was expensive, with three for 135 from 29 overs, but he took crucial wickets.

Earlier, New Zealand had much the better of the first session by restricting the powerful Indian lineup to 63 runs from 30 overs while picking up three wickets.

Patel's introduction changed the tempo as he leaked 20 runs from his first three, a continuation of yesterday when the Wellingtonian went wicketless while giving up 79 off 13.

But he held his nerve and tempted Tendulkar, 10 runs short of becoming the first batsman to reach 50 in 10 consecutive test innings, with a floated delivery which was struck back to a grateful bowler.

Part-time spinner and debutant Kane Williamson also got in on the act, picking up his first test wicket by having Suresh Raina caught for 3 at short cover by Brendon McCullum.

Patel then struck again, trapping VVS Laxman leg before wicket for 40 in the final over before lunch.

The New Zealand attack was undermanned throughout the session due to the absence of rookie fast bowler Hamish Bennett.

Bennett, 23, who had some good moments in his first day on the test stage yesterday, was resting a groin strain.

- NZPA