Indian chances of claiming their 100th test win, and re-writing the history by winning the series in New zealand look slim as the second day of the second test at Napier was completely dominated by the home team. The Indian bowlers looked all over the place on their pitch map to right hand and left hand batsman. Harbhajan Singh who got six wickets in the 2nd inning of the first test match was seen helpless without turn. Daniel vettori and the New zealand batsman capitalized on the opportunity as they set a massive score of 619/9 declared.
The Indian team never looked organized in the field, The day however didn't present many opportunities India's way. It was all a New Zealand and more so a Ryder show. Ryder brought up another 100 run partnership with James Franklin scoring majority of runs in boundaries. Franklin was soon run-out. Ryder played the ball into the covers and out they went, Yuvraj singh with a clean pick up and throw, with Dinesh karthick taking off the bails dismissed Franklin run out to a good 55 off 122 balls. It was the only way Indian's looked like picking wickets.
Ryder and McCullum stitched together another quick 50 run partnership to take the score past what looked like an improbable 450 mark. Ryder hardly broke any sweat as he brought on his 200 but soon got careless as he was out bowled to a full Zaheer Khan delivery. The ball was bowled outside off , Ryder tried to smash it covers ended up played on much to the delight of Zaheer khan who got his important third wicket. A classic knock from Ryder came to an end with NZ at 477/6.
Vettori joined MCCullum at the crease, India should have capitalized on the opportunity with 2 relatively new batsmen at crease. However it was a day where the bat dominated the ball, Both MCCullum and Vettori brought up their fifties at relatively fast speed to bring up another 100 run partnership. The duo added 138 runs in total to take New zealand past 600 but Vettori lost his stumps to Ishant Sharma who bowled a full length in swinger which took the inside edge of the bat played back on to the stumps. McCullum brought up his hundred and lost his wicket soon trying to up the anti. he was out caught by Sachin Tendulkar at deep point trying to play a short pitched deliver over the 66m boundary on the offside for six. Ishant taking his third of the inning.
Jeetan patel and Ian OBrein could add only one run when patel was out caught in the deep by Ishant Sharma off a Harbhajan Singh delivery. A consolation wicket for Bhajji who looked out of form throughout the inning. Newzealand declared the inning just before tea at 619/9 with a session and three days to play.
India's only hope at this time was to start well and hope one of their openers got a big hundred. Sehwag started off in blistering fashion smacking a six and 5 fours before he was out trying under edging the ball to the hands of wicket keeper McCullum off Vettori for a quickfire 34 off 25. Rahul Dravid joined Gambhir at the crease with India at 48/1. The duo batted out 8 more overs before Gambhir tried to smash Jeetan patel over the boundary six only ending up in the hands of Daniel Vettori at mid-on. He was out for 16.
To everybody's surprise, in-walked Ishant Sharma as night watchman with well over 10 overs remaining in the day. He could only lst 5 overs with Dravid taking majority off the strike. Ishant lost his wicket out lbw to a arm ball from Captain dan Vettori forcing Sachin to come out to the middle to face the last few overs. India played out the remaining overs to end the say at 79/3 with sachin on 0 and Dravid on 21.
It was yet another superb day at the office for the Kiwis as they extended their total to a massive one thanks to the double ton by Ryder and a handsome hundred by McCullum with good contribution from the skipper Dan himself. India continued to disappoint with the ball and when put in to bat, they simply didn't know what to do. Their approach would raise a few eyebrows, ofcourse you can't bend Virender Sehwag's style but Gautam Gambhir kicked his wicket away to push his side into deeper trouble. The night-watchman trick didn't work good and now India are three down staring at a cliffy task. New Zealand are in a strong position and are dictating terms to the visitors at the moment. Third day's play should be another interesting affair. Even drawing this contest would take a lot of doing. There's still quite a few big names in the batting line-up of the Indians but the task ahead is no smaller. The Indians will really have to bat out of their skins to ensure a draw.
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Kunal Janu
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