Lunch New Zealand 137 for 3 (McIntosh 53*, Taylor 6*) v Sri Lanka 452…

Heavy morning rain again cut into playing time, but when action resumed under overcast skies, New Zealand fought doggedly to stave off Sri Lanka’s bowlers. Tim McIntosh, troubled periodically by the short ball, gritted his way to a half-century, and with Jeetan Patel providing stout resistance in the nightwatchman’s role, New Zealand made it through a 90-minute session losing just one wicket.

Sri Lanka’s pace bowlers toiled hard without reward, and it was left to Muttiah Muralitharan to get the breakthrough, trapping Patel in front for 26, a steady innings which lasted 57 deliveries.

The session took a while to warm up. Murali bowled one over and was then taken off, and it was Thilan Thushara who asked all the initial questions. Patel was sound and confident in defence, nudging the odd single, while McIntosh left the ball alone more often than not. Against the short ball though, he was in all sorts of strife, getting hit first on the shoulder and then flush on the helmet.

Patel’s innings was part grit and part good fortune. There was one lovely drive through the covers off Thushara, but it was followed by an awkward shot that flew past the slips as he sought to duck under a bouncer. McIntosh survived a huge shout from Ajantha Mendis, with the umpire perhaps thinking there was an inside edge, and it looked like it was going to be New Zealand’s morning as a rare full toss was pummelled away to take McIntosh to his half-century.

But then Murali struck, leaving Ross Taylor to survive an anxious passage just before lunch. He unveiled one fluent drive through the covers to suggest that the afternoon might not be all about defence after all.

Dileep Premachandran is an associate editor at Cricinfo

Australia 151 for 3 (Ponting 56, Clarke 49*) beat New Zealand 147 (Styris 42, Johnson 4-20) by seven wickets…

Australia executed a perfectly-paced chase to brush aside New Zealand by seven wickets in their warm-up match at The Oval. Ponting led the way with a brisk half-century and received support from his deputy Michael Clarke who remained unbeaten to ensure victory was secured in the final over.

There was good news on the bowling front too with Mitchell Johnson taking 4 for 20 while Brett Lee bowled with hostility and took 1 for 9 off 3.5 overs. Their new-ball partnership left New Zealand’s top-order in shreds at 21 for 5 and it needed a feisty recovery from Scott Styris and Peter McGlashan, who was playing Australia for the first time, to set a respectable target.

Australia made a near-perfect start, with Lee and Johnson snaring the New Zealand openers in consecutive overs. There were an astonishing number of dot balls as both bowlers passed the bat with regularity. The New Zealand batsmen’s efforts to break free failed – Martin Guptill holed out after striking one boundary, as did Ross Taylor after hitting three fours in a row. Jacob Oram’s dismissal – run out without facing a ball – hurt New Zealand further but they recovered to 147 thanks to the depth of their batting line-up.

Australia also bat deep – Lee is slotted at No. 10 – but their lower order wasn’t tested on the day. They too suffered a minor hiccup at the start, losing both Shane Watson and David Warner within the space of five balls to James Franklin, but Ponting and Clarke prevented any further damage. They planned the chase masterfully, picking up singles and twos with regularity, chipping away at the asking-rate and then reducing it dramatically with the odd boundary.

Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, was pleased with his team’s effort and said that they were improving with every game.

“Brett and Mitchell almost put the game to sleep in the first six overs. Then we chased the score down sensibly,” he said. “It is nice to turn the competitive juices on in a game situation.

“You can never replicate that in training no matter how hard you do it, so to play against another country gets the adrenaline going and some good stuff happened because of the competitive environment.”

He reserved special praise for Johnson, whose four economical wickets cut through New Zealand. “He is just starting to get some condition about him,” Nielsen said. “He has just come off a month in Perth, where he has been doing some work in the gym. He was beaming last night because of the fact he thought his rhythm was there and the ball was coming out fast without him trying hard.

“That’s always a good indication. It is always about three or four runs in that he bowls at his best and he is only two runs in at the moment.”

George Binoy is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo

New Zealand 170 for 7 (Taylor 41, McCullum 31, Franklin 27*, Ishant 4-25) beat India 161 for 6 (Raina 45, Jadeja 41*, Vettori 3-24) by nine runs…

New Zealand’s unbeaten record against India in Twenty20s continued today by beating the world champions by nine runs in their warm-up outing at Lord’s. Several New Zealand batsmen chipped in with aggressive contributions to post an imposing total which their bowlers, led by the reliable Daniel Vettori, defended tenaciously against a powerful Indian batting line-up.

The India team had faced questions regarding fatigue and fitness because of their players’ involvement in the lengthy IPL and they took the field without Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan. Yuvraj Singh also did not play a part in the match although he was on the team sheet. However, it was because of the batsmen that performed in the IPL – Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja – that India challenged New Zealand’s total of 170.

Sharma, who opened with Gautam Gambhir, slotted seamlessly into his new role and attacked from the outset against Iain O’Brien. With an extravagant follow through, Sharma deposited the ball into the stands at midwicket, pierced the in-field at point again, and launched the ball over long-off to take 18 runs off O’Brien’s second over. The Indian fans had been gathering from the latter stages of the Ireland-Netherlands match, making themselves heard whenever the players were shown on the giant screen and now were shouting themselves hoarse.

Through all the excitement, though, Gambhir remained almost unnoticed, catching the attention only when he spooned Ian Butler to Martin Guptill at extra cover. India, however, raced to 55 in six overs and New Zealand needed more to curb the momentum. Vettori duly did the needful. He slipped one down the leg side as MS Dhoni advanced and had him stumped, despite a fumble from Brendon McCullum, before bowling Sharma a few balls later as the ball bobbled off the pads.

India suddenly had two new batsmen at the crease and New Zealand had an opening, but for a while it seemed Raina had slammed it shut. He plundered 19 runs off Vettori’s second over, slog-sweeping twice over the midwicket boundary and drilling the ball straight down the ground.

He and Jadeja produced an impressive stand, adding 69 off 48 balls for the fourth wicket. It was only Raina’s dismissal – caught by a diving Jesse Ryder off Jacob Oram for 45 – that turned the match in New Zealand’s favour. Vettori bounced back strongly to dismiss Yusuf Pathan in another miserly over to finish with 3 for 24 and left India with too much to do in the last three overs.

That the New Zealand bowlers had enough to defend was due to a collective performance from their batsmen. While no one went on to make fifty, New Zealand always had a well set batsman at the crease to keep the momentum going. Brendon McCullum provided the impetus at the start, while Ross Taylor continued his good form from the latter stages of the IPL during the middle overs. Scott Styris chipped in with a useful innings and Franklin enhanced his newly-developed status as a batting allrounder with massive strikes towards the ends of the innings.

Most of the New Zealand batsmen favoured the leg-side boundary and some perished while trying to clear it. McCullum eventually skied a catch to midwicket, while Ryder, who failed to get out of his IPL rut, was bowled trying to swing across the line. Ishant Sharma was the bowler who dismissed both, making up for the void created by the shoulder injury to Zaheer.

Taylor carted Pragyan Ojha for two consecutive sixes over deep-square leg and dispatched the left-arm spinner to the deep midwicket boundary as well. Ishant returned to peg New Zealand back by inducing a top-edged pull from Oram, which was held by Harbhajan.

Taylor, too, fell in the 16th over when one slog-sweep against Harbhajan did not clear RP Singh. Styris kept the momentum going with a breezy 29 off 19 balls but it was Franklin who hurt India in the end. He laid into RP in the 20th over and deposited the ball beyond the straight boundary twice before pulling to midwicket for four. New Zealand managed 50 runs off their last four overs and that acceleration proved to be the difference.

George Binoy is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo

Joseph Hoover

Wellington, Apr 7 (PTI) India recorded their first series triumph on New Zealand soil in 41 years though rain denied them a deserving victory in the third cricket Test here today.

Rain played spoilsport in India’s push for a 2-0 series win on the fifth and final day and the hosts escaped with a draw after they were down 281 for eight in the post-lunch session in chase of a near impossible 617 for a win.

The visitors will have to be content with a 1-0 victory in the three-match Test series after India won the first match in Hamilton by 10 wickets and drawing the second in Napier.

Despite the draw today, India ended their long wait of 41 years to win a Test series in New Zealand after Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi-led side drubbed the Kiwis 3-1 in 1968.

The Indians, who outplayed the Kiwis throughout the match, were well on course for a victory by conjuring up four wickets in just over a session before light rain stopped play 30 minutes into post lunch session. Daniel Vettori on 15 was at the crease at that time alongwith Iain O’Brien (19).

There was a glimmer of hope for India recording their 100th Test victory as covers were taken off for a short while to resume the post-lunch session half an hour after stoppage.

That hope disappeared as rain returned immediately and light shower turned into heavy downpour. The match was finally called off at 1015 hrs IST, nearly one and half hours before scheduled close. PTI

India 379 (Tendulkar 62, Harbhajan 60, Dhoni 52, Martin 4-98) and 434 for 7 dec (Gambhir 167, Laxman 61, Dravid 60, Dhoni 56*) drew with New Zealand 197 (Zaheer 5-65) and 281 for 8 (Taylor 107, Harbhajan 4-59)

The Wellington weather and a Ross Taylor century defied India as the third Test ended in a draw with New Zealand eight wickets down. Zaheer Khan had bowled just one delivery with the second new ball when the rain forced the players off the field 20 minutes after lunch, and they wouldn’t return. India were left to reflect on three dropped catches, while New Zealand might have argued that they were due a bit of luck after two decisions went against them. The draw might have been an unsatisfactory result, but it still sealed a first Indian series win in New Zealand in 41 years.

They could have won it even before the heavens opened though. Tim Southee was given out caught behind off Harbhajan Singh, though the noise that got all the close-in fielders excited was actually bat hitting pad. Moments later, it was New Zealand that were the beneficiaries of umpiring largesse. Harbhajan turned one sharply and Daniel Vettori was palpably plumb, but Simon Taufel thought otherwise.

When Ishant Sharma then grassed a simple chance at square leg after Iain O’Brien had slogged Tendulkar, the Indians might have known it wasn’t to be their day. Soon after, Zaheer came on and so did the rain. And that was that.

The story of the morning had been Sachin Tendulkar. It had taken MS Dhoni 76 overs to give the ball to him, but two wickets shortly before lunch in an extended morning session put the smiles back on Indian faces after a 142-run partnership between Taylor and James Franklin had kept them at bay. New Zealand were also left to ponder a poor decision against Brendon McCullum as their struggle for survival was compromised in a crazy passage of play just before the interval.

Zaheer had an early shout for leg-before against Franklin turned down, but the theme of the first hour was stout resistance. Taylor continued to feast on short and wide offerings from Ishant, and the Indian mood didn’t improve when Gautam Gambhir failed to hold on to a chance at short leg after Franklin had popped one up off bad and pad. New Zealand added 38 before the drinks break, and soon after an airy flick down to fine leg off Harbhajan got Taylor to his century from just 158 balls.

Tendulkar was introduced soon after, but the frustration continued as Franklin edged one past slip for four. And it was left to the frontline spinner to strike, though relying on drift rather than turn to get the job done. Taylor’s attempt to push the ball away was stymied by the movement through the air and Harbhajan’s celebrations were certainly not muted as he yorked the key obstacle in India’s path.

Soon after, Munaf Patel put down McCullum at mid-off off Tendulkar, but the second chance didn’t go a long way. A ripping leg break spun past the bat and through to slip via Dhoni’s gloves, but the impact of bat on the ground fooled the umpire into upholding India’s appeal. And if that was a serious blow to New Zealand’s hopes, worse was to follow, as Franklin who had eased his way to 49 was trapped in front by another delivery that turned sharply into him. As at Adelaide five years earlier, Tendulkar had compensated for an average performance with the bat by turning into the man with the golden arm. But even he could do nothing about the weather.

Dileep Premachandran is an associate editor at Cricinfo

Sachin Tendulkar struck twice just before the end of the first session to reduce New Zealand to 254 for seven at lunch.

India started the fifth and the final day of the third Test match, beaming with confidence of finishing it off early.

While the bowlers were looking to take quick wickets, the overnight batsmen — Ross Taylor and James Franklin played cautious and patient knocks each, to lead the Kiwi resistance, even as Indian bowlers hunt for wickets.

Taylor completed his century and in the able company of Franklin continued to battle it out in the middle.
It was Harbhajan Singh who managed to break the resistance by taking the prized wicket of Taylor for a well-made 107.

Once the partnership was broken, Sachin Tendulkar took the centre-stage and struck twice to get rid of Brendon McCullum and James Franklin in his consecutive overs.

At stumps on day four, India were within touching distance of an emphatic victory in the third and the final Test against New Zealand.

Having set the Black Caps a mammoth target of 617 runs to chase down, the visitors had restricted them to 167 for four when bad light ended play early on the fourth day at the Basin Reserve.

It left New Zealand needing a further 450 runs to win with Ross Taylor (69) and James Franklin (26) to resume on the final day.

Rain expected

However, with rain expected on Tuesday, India may be forced to settle for a 1-0 series win – their first Test series triumph on New Zealand soil since 1968 – after they won the Hamilton Test by 10 wickets and drew the match in Napier.

Zaheer Khan, who took five for 65 in the first innings, and Harbhajan Singh got two wickets apiece, while Rahul Dravid went past Mark Waugh’s record of 181 catches in Tests when he took a low catch at third slip to combine with Khan for Tim McIntosh’s wicket before lunch.

India batted for just over an hour at the start of the day to push their lead beyond the 600-run mark as captain MS Dhoni finished with an unbeaten 56 and Khan ended 18 not out.

The visitors added 85 runs to their overnight score of 349 for five but lost the wickets of Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan in the process.

Yuvraj provided most of the entertainment as he raced from his overnight score of 15 to 40, with Iain O’Brien going for three consecutive fours and a six in one over, before edging a Chris Martin delivery to Ross Taylor in the slips.

Harbhajan fell for no score – also to Martin – and India were 397 for seven.

It’s all about numbers!

Dhoni brought up his half-century with a single off James Franklin and a couple of overs later he declared the innings closed.

Khan bowled a 15-over spell that was only broken by the lunch interval and claimed his first wicket late in the morning session when McIntosh (four) edged to Dravid.

The Black Caps were 37 for one at the break which quickly became 54 for two when Daniel Flynn (10) edged onto his thigh then the stumps to give Khan his second scalp.

Taylor had a lucky escape on nine when he was given out, caught by Gautam Gambhir off Harbhajan, by umpire Simon Taufel.

But after consultation with Daryl Harper the catch was referred to third umpire Tony Hill and the right-hander was recalled as there was too much doubt as to whether or not the ball had touched the ground.

Taylor made the most of the opportunity and went on to score his fifth half-century and put on an important 83-run partnership with Franklin.

Harbhajan took the other two wickets in quick succession, Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder departing within three balls. Guptill was dismissed one run shy of his maiden Test half-century but improved on his previous highest Test score of 48.

Ryder went for nought, edging to Dravid to give the Indian veteran his 183rd catch.

No further wickets fell in the session and by tea Taylor and Franklin had taken the hosts to 136 for four.

Taylor took a couple of overs to reach his half-century once play resumed and in the hour of play available following the interval added a further 14 runs to his score.

Franklin survived a leg before shout off the part-time spin of Virender Sehwag on 23 shortly before the close.
Khan ended the day with two for 50 off 15 overs and Harbhajan two for 36 off 17. Ishant Sharma had mixed day going for 33 runs off six overs.

Joseph Hoover

Wellington, Apr 6 (PTI) Rahul Dravid scaled another lofty peak in his illustrious career when he created the world record for the most number of Test catches by a fielder here today.

Levelled with Mark Waugh’s 181 (128 Tests) before going into the match, Dravid pulled ahead in his 134th match when he gobbled up Tim McIntosh at third slip off Zaheer Khan on day four of the third Test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve.

Having snared Nasser Hussain off Javagal Srinath to open his ‘catch’ account in his debut Test at Lord’s, Dravid is now clearly ahead of Ricky Ponting (148 in 131 Tests), Jacques Kallis (147 in 131) and Mahela Jayawardene (142 in 102) among current players.

The milestone had been on his mind for quite a while and when he achieved it, he showed rare emotion by planting a kiss on the cherry. The accomplishment should possibly help to ease his frustration at not scoring a hundred on this tour.

“The way I was batting, I should have scored a hundred in each of the Tests,” said Dravid, ruing his dismissals in the third Test against New Zealand.

He carved scores of 66, 8 not out, 83, 62, 35 and 60, but failed to convert those four half centuries into hundreds, falling once to a sharp in-cutter at Hamilton, a dubious leg before decision at Napier and poor shots in the rest. PTI

Ross Taylor scored a half-century to keep alive Kiwi hopes of a draw against India before bad light stopped fourth day’s play.

Harbhajan Singh struck twice in the same over as New Zealand continued to give up cheap wickets after lunch on the fourth day of the final Test with New Zealand in Wellington.

The Black Caps reached tea 136 for four after Singh took the wickets of Martin Guptill (49) and Jesse Ryder for a duck, and Zaheer Khan claimed his second victim in the form of Daniel Flynn (10) shortly after lunch.

Kiwis continue to lose wickets

That left Ross Taylor and James Franklin at the crease on 48 and 18 respectively as New Zealand needed 481 runs to win with six second innings wickets remaining.

Before the earlier interval Khan enticed opener Tim McIntosh (four) into an edge which Rahul Dravid expertly snatched low to his left at third slip to claim the his 182nd career catch – the world record for a non-wicketkeeper.

The Kiwis held out thereafter to reach lunch at 37 for one, with Guptill unbeaten on 29 and new batsman Flynn on one.

Earlier, MS Dhoni hit his 16th Test half century to help the tourists build quickly on their overnight total of 349 for five.

India added 85 runs in 18.1 overs this morning with Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh looking to move the score along at a brisk pace.

Martin strikes twice in same over

Yuvraj took 18 from one Iain O’Brien over, marked by a launched six over midwicket after he had dispatched the previous three balls to the fence, as he threatened to cut loose.
But Yuvraj fell for 40, from 46 balls, two overs later when Taylor held on to a comfortable catch at first slip off Chris Martin.

Martin would grab a second wicket in the over three balls later when Harbhajan hooked a rising delivery to Tim Southee, who juggled the chance at fine leg.

Dhoni (56 not out) reached his half century before he declared the innings closed, with Zaheer unbeaten on 18 and India in the box seat to clinch the three-Test series 2-0.

Harbhajan Singh strikes twice in the same over to get rid of Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder to put India on top.

Just after lunch Zaheer Khan claimed his second victim in the form of Daniel Flynn.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni struck an unbeaten half century (56) to set New Zealand an improbable victory target of 617 as India declared their second innings at 434 for 7 on the fourth day of the third and final Test on Monday.

Zaheer Khan then removed Tim McIntosh to reduce New Zealand to 37 for one at lunch, a dismissal which also saw Rahul Dravid becoming the player with most catches in Test cricket.

Martin Guptill (batting 29) and Daniel Flynn on nine were at the crease at the break.

NZ will have to play out five more sessions

A victory out of their reach, the Kiwis would have to play out five more sessions to save the Test.

Dravid snaffled Tim McIntosh at the third slip off Zaheer to take his 182nd catch in his 134th Test to go past former Australian batsman Mark Waugh (181 in 128 Tests).

Resuming at their overnight 349 for five, India declared their second innings at 434 for seven, a little after Mahendra Singh Dhoni had produced his 15th half century in this 37th Test. The visitors scored 85 runs in 18.1 overs this morning.

India began the day on a belligerent note as Yuvraj Singh took 18 runs off an Iain O’Brien over.

Beginning his onslaught with a back cut, the left-hander majestically pulled the short ball twice, before disdainfully smashing O’Brien over the pickets at mid-wicket.

Martin strikes twice in the same over

But Yuvraj did not last long, driving distantly at Chris Martin to offer Ross Taylor his third catch of the innings at first slip.

Martin was to strike three balls later, when Harbhajan Singh top-edged an intended hook to a juggling Tim Southee at deep fine-leg.

Dhoni remained unbeaten on 56, while Zaheer, who smashed Vettori out of the park over long-on, made 18 not out.

Martin, who has garnered 14 wickets in the three-match series, was the best of the Kiwi pace quartet with figures of three for 70 off 22 overs.

Wellington, April 6 (IANS) New Zealand were 37 for one at lunch, chasing an improbable 617 runs to win the third and final cricket Test to square the series here at the Basin Reserve Monday.

Rahul Dravid grabbed his world record 182nd catch when he took a low catch diving to his left at third slip to dismiss Tim McIntosh off Zaheer Khan and at the break, Martin Guptill was batting on 29 and Daniel Flynn on four.

India virtually batted New Zealand out of the Test by declaring their second innings at 434 for seven with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni scoring a rollicking fifty and Yuvraj Singh a quickfire 40.

Brief scores:

India 379 in 92.1 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 62, Harbhajan Singh 60, M.S. Dhoni 52; Chris Martin 4 for 98) and 434 for 7 decl. in 116 overs (Gautam Gambhir 167, V.V.S Laxman 61, Rahul Dravid 60, M.S. Dhoni 56 not out). New Zealand 197 in 65 overs (Zaheer Khan 5 for 65, Harbhajan 3 for 43) and 37-1 in 15 overs.