Kiwis inflict follow-on, India on the mat in Napier

After being forced to follow-on, India’s second innings too started off on a feeble note with Sehwag falling cheaply.

Zeecric Bureau/ Sudeshna Guha Roy

Napier, March 28: India were left with a steep task, even to salvage a draw in the Napier Test, as the hosts tightened their grip on the match and inched closer to a series leveling victory. After bundling out India for just 305 runs in the first essay in reply to their mammoth first inning score of 619/9 and enforcing a follow-on, New Zealand snapped up the prized wicket of India’s stand-in captain- Virender Sehwag cheaply as the visitors ended the third day with their scoreboard reading 47 for the loss of 1 wicket at the McLean Park. Jeetan Patel caught Sehwag plumb in front of the wickets to send him back to the pavilion for mere 22 runs, which were made with the help of 4 boundaries.Resuming from overnight score of 79 for three, propelled by a 49 run cameo from Sachin Tendulkar, India headed for lunch at 189 for four. Tendulkar was in great nick, middling the ball and hitting on the up with elan, until he erroneously chose to nudge Patel past slip. Despite conceding 14 runs, including a swung six over mid-wicket, wily Patel had the last laugh at Mumbai Maestro’s expense, having Tendulkar caught at first slip by Ross Taylor. His knock was bejewelled with seven boundaries and a six. India could have been in more trouble at lunch had stand-in umpire Evan Watkin, who replaced a sick Billy Doctrove today, not been imprudent in giving a no ball, when Daniel Vettori actually hadn`t stepped over the bowling crease. Venturing to back cut the left arm spinner, Rahul Dravid had nicked to Brendon McCullum. But Watkin, who had taken close to five minutes to decide over a line decision (Gautam Gambhir) as the third umpire yesterday came to Dravid’s aide. Dravid, was then on 55. Dravid and VVS Laxman then raised hopes of a fight back with a calm and reassuring 81 run partnership. Just as the duo had taken the team’s score past the 200 run mark, ‘Ryder terror’ struck India again. Spelling marvel with the ball this time, Jesse Ryder got Dravid caught by wicket keeper Brendon McCullum for a fine 83. His 206 ball knock was studded with 12 fours. Next came Yuvraj Singh to the crease but even he couldn’t be of any help as departed just before the tea break, contributing nothing to the team’s score. Yuvraj was caught by Tim McIntosh at the 2nd slip of a Chris Martin delivery. At tea, India were 253/6. Some flawless fielding and excellent bowling by the Black Caps restricted India as wickets fell like a pack of cards in the final session. Chris Martin got the cherry to swing from a fuller length picking crucial wickets of Laxman, Yuvraj and Dinesh Karthik, all of them caught in the slips. Scoring just 6 runs, Karthik was caught by Ryder at third slip. After Karthik’s dismissal, Laxman had found a supportive and encouraging partner in Harbhajan Singh who tried to make up for the loss and made sure to grab big runs the moment after stepped on the crease. However, Laxman’s run didn’t continue for long as he too was caught at the slip by Tim McIntosh, the second slip though. Laxman hung his bat tamely at a good length delivery outside off, after which the ball took the edge and flew at a comfortable height to McIntosh at second slip. Harbhajan Singh tried some experimentation and hit a couple of boundaries and a six to add 18 runs to the team’s total. However, his feat did not last long he got caught by Martin in the fine-leg of an Iain O’Brien delivery. Zaheer Khan (8), the next and the last batsman to depart was caught by Jesse Ryder at gully, again of an O’Brien delivery as India folded up 314 runs sort of New Zealand’s score. Yuvraj was caught by Tim McIntosh at the 2nd slip of a Chris Martin delivery. With Yuvi’s dismissal, India went for its tea break. Earlier, off-spinner Jeetan Patel struck a crucial blow to put New Zealand in command against India at lunch. Resuming at their overnight score of 79 for three, India were floundering at 189 for four, still needing 231 runs to avoid the embarrassment of being asked to follow-on by a side which had been completely outplayed in the first Test at Hamilton. India, chasing their 100th Test win, were still 430 runs adrift of New Zealand`s mammoth first innings total of 619 for 9 declared. Conceding 14 runs, including a swung six over mid-wicket to Tendulkar, wily Patel had the last laugh when he had the master batsman caught at first slip by Ross Taylor. Tendulkar was in great nick, middling the ball and hitting on the up with elan, until he erroneously chose to nudge Patel past slip. Tendulkar made 49, bejewelled with seven boundaries and the six off Patel. India could have been in more trouble at lunch had stand-in umpire Evan Watkin, who replaced a sick Billy Doctrove today, not been imprudent in giving a no ball, when Daniel Vettori actually hadn`t stepped over the bowling crease. Venturing to back cut the left arm spinner, Dravid had nicked to Brendon McCullum. But Watkin, who had taken close to five minutes to decide over a line decision (Gautam Gambhir) as the third umpire yesterday came to his rescue. Dravid, then on 55, was unbeaten on 57 at lunch. Giving him the company was VVS Laxman with an elegant 21 not out, studded with four crisp boundaries. Billy Doctrove was diagnosed with chest infection this morning and hence had to be replaced by Watkin.