New Zealand on backfoot after conceding big lead

Posted by on Mar 20, 2009 in Cricket

New Zealand are off to a shaky start in ther second innings of the first Test at the Seddon Park in Hamilton. They are at 75 for 3 in 31 overs after conceding a massive first innings lead of 241.

The Kiwis lost the wicket of Tim McIntosh in the 3rd ball of the innings when he was caught in the slips by Tendulkar off Zaheer Khan who claimed his 200th wicket with that. It was a controversial dismissal with the ground umpires not taking the assistance of the TV Umpire although it was a very low catch that wasn’t conclusive atleast in the slow motion replays. India had to wait long for their next wicket as Martin Guptill got stuck in with no.3 Daniel Flynn, both the youngsters put on a promising stand. That partnership was broken in the 26th over when Guptill (48 from 86 balls with 7 fours and a six) failed to keep an off drive along the ground to a Harbhajan delivery.

Munaf Patel provided the perfect finish for the day by catching nightwatchman Kyle Mills plumb infront with an inswinger. Daniel Flynn is batting well on 24 at stumps, the match could well be over on the fourth day. Earlier, India had piled up its highest ever total in New Zealand with a score of 520 all out in their first innings. Sachin Tendulkar, who resumed on 70 went onto make 160 (from 260 balls with 26 fours). The other significant contributors today were MS Dhoni with 47 (from 123 balls with 7 fours) and Zaheer Khan who remained unbeaten on 51 (from 46 balls with 8 fours).

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