Thursday, March 26, 2009

India finally bat after NZ declare on 619

Napier: New Zealand declared their first innings on a mammoth 619 for nine, after Brendon McCullum posted the third century of the innings on the second day of the second Test against India.


Jesse Ryder reached 201 and Brendon McCullum was 103 not out as New Zealand went to tea at 592 for six.


Ryder batted for just over eight hours to raise the third double century and third-highest score by a New Zealander against India, then was out to the next ball — bowled by Zaheer Khan — ending an innings of exemplary stamina and concentration. His innings market the 15th Test double century by a New Zealand player.


The burly left-hander, whose only other Test century (102) in the first innings of the first Test at Hamilton, was out when New Zealand were 477-6, having transformed their innings, the match and potentially the series.


He was also out one ball after achieving his century in the Hamilton Test — won by India by 10 wickets — which gave the first clear evidence of his development from a big-hitting limited-overs batsman to a mature and disciplined Test player.


Ryder has now scored 50 or more, including two centuries, in four of his last five Test innings 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 on Friday, he was averaging 64 with two centuries and four half-centuries in a Test career of only eight matches and 14 innings.


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


He shared partnerships of 271 for the fourth wicket with Ross Taylor, who was out for 151 on the first day, 121 for the fifth wicket with James Franklin, run out for 52 before lunch, and finally 62 for the sixth wicket with Brendon McCullum.


McCullum went on to reach his third Test century just three balls before tea. He reached the milestone, eclipsing previous centuries against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, in 141 minutes from 131 balls with 11 fours.


The New Zealand wicketkeeper shared an unbeaten 115-run partnership for the seventh-wicket with captain Daniel Vettori who was 43 not out at the break.


The innings became the first in which two batsmen in a New Zealand team had exceeded 150 since 2004 against South Africa at Auckland.


Ryder's partnership with Taylor was the highest for all wickets by a New Zealand pair against India and the highest for the fourth wicket for New Zealand against any nation.


India's win at Hamilton was their first Test win in New Zealand since 1976. The tourists remain in pursuit of their first Test series win here since 1968.


Mediocre bowling, poor catching and the absence of captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who pulled out of the match with a back injury, contributed to New Zealand's strong position on the second day.

Source:http://cricketnext.in.com/news/india-finally-bat-after-nz-declare-on-619/39465-13.html

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