Napier: Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder combined for a record 271-run partnership to help New Zealand recover from a disastrous start and reach 351 for four at the end of the first day of the second Test against India. Taylor (151) and Ryder (137 not out) had come together at 23-3 within the first hour when Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma destroyed New Zealand's top order after the hosts had won the toss and opted to bat on a good wicket at McLean Park.
The weather looked good and sun was already shining, Daniel vettori didn't hesitate one bit in winning the toss and electing to bat first. Sehwag standing captian for MS Dhoni who had to sit out because of a back strain announced the only change, Dinesh karthick replacing MS Dhoni. Newzealand on the othr hand made a couple of changes, Jamie how replacing the injured Daniel Flynn and Jeetan patel played as the second spinner to replace the out-of-form Kyle mills.
Newzealand opening pair of Martin Guptill and McIntosh started the inning steadily attacking the loose balls and leaving the good ones outside off. The first runs came off Zaheer Khan's second ball to Tim McIntosh, who caressed a square-drive to the boundary. McIntosh edged a few balls into the vacant slip areas in the first few overs, martin guptill too survived some of India's initial swing bowling. McIntosh was living dangerously and soon came the downfall, he edged one through to the wicket keeper who claimed the catch cleanly leaving NZ at 21 fro 1 in the 8ht over of the match. Television replays clearly showed the ball missing the bat by a good margin. Umpire Billy Doctrove went by the movement and sound to turn it in India's favor.
Trying to drive when defense was the better option, Jamie How - in at No. 3 for an injured Daniel Flynn - had no clue about a full and swinging Zaheer special and had his stumps splayed. New Zealand were 22 for 2 in nine overs and this was a critical stage as Ross Taylor joined Martin Guptill. There wasn't much movement and all the batsmen needed to do was get themselves in, runs would come. Guptill looked far from comfortable as he gloved a surprise bouncer from Zaheer khan handing a simple catch to sehwag at gully. NZ at 23 for 2 in the 11th over looked like repeating the 60/6 performance in the first test match. In walked Jesse Ryder, Man who restored some respect into the below par performance of NZ in the first test. Both Taylor and Ryder survived a few edges that went flying past the vacant slip corden.
The Turning Point: Who knew the turning point in NZ inning would come so early. Taylor edged a rising Munaf Patel delivery to Yuvraj at third slip, though not at comfortable height the ball carried to Yuvraj's left who only managed to get his fingertips. Taylor survived the over edging 3 genuine delivery over the slips scoring 16 off Munaf's second over.
Taylor continued playing shots but always kept the bowlers hopeful that he would over-reach himself. He edged a lot of deliveries through the slip corden earning NZ team useful runs. Jesse Ryder on the other end continued where he left off scoring boundaries in the most elegant manner reminding of Saurav ganguly. He stood tall and waited till the last moment for the ball to arrive, Width was smacked to the boundary while good legitimate deliveries bowled at the stumps earned respect from his bat. Minutes before lunch he got a thick edge off Harbhajan Singh evaded Karthik and slip and it was the only blemish in an innings that helped get NewZealand back toward steady ground. The Taylor-Ryder stand has so far added 75 and both batsmen appear to have settled.
Post lunch it was all NZ domination, The duo scored runs at a brisk pace with India looking for options to stop the runs and pick some wickets. taylor produced some exciting moments when he wa on 99. He however brought up his 100 from 151 balls to help the hosts to 233-3 at tea. After the break, the pair set the partnership record before Ryder brought up his second Test century, when he guided a Zaheer delivery past backward point for his 14th boundary. taylor got another oppurtunity when he edged a arm blall from Yuvraj singh between the wicket keeper and slip. Dravid was late to react as another catch went down begging. Taylor finally departed trying to whack a harbhajan singh delivery that was bowled well outside the off stump over midwicket ending up skying the ball. Yuvraj singh took a good running catch to dismiss Taylor for 151.
Yuvraj dropped another sitter just before close of play when franklin edged a length ball that was moving away from his body. It went Straight in and came Straight out, A tough day for India on the field more so for Yuvraj who now will have to practice hard fielding in the slips. Jesse Ryder brought up another 100 in partnership with James Franklin to take NZ to 51/4 at stumps. India need to forget whatever happened during the day and clean up the rest of the batting from Newzealand which includes McCullum and Vettori. NZ would on the other hand be feeling happy of what fared out and will hope that the form and momentum stays with the them for the rest of the match.
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Kunal Janu
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