India off to wobbly start, trail NZ by 540 runs

New Zealand piled up a mammoth first innings total and then snapped three early Indian wickets to take firm control of the second cricket Test today.

After New Zealand declared their first essay at 619 for nine with Jesse Ryder (201) slamming his maiden double century and Brendon McCullum (115) a strokeful ton, India lost both the openers and night-watchman Ishant Sharma to finish day two on a jittery 79 for three, still trailing the hosts by 540 runs.

Rahul Dravid (21) and Sachin Tendulkar (0) will return tomorrow, hoping first to knock off the 341 runs India require to escape the ignominy of a follow on.

In the familiar company of his Delhi teammate Gambhir (16), Sehwag (34) began in his characteristic swashbuckling way, imposing himself on the Kiwi bowlers.

New Zealand got a chance to remove him when Sehwag was on 21 but Martin Guptill's throw missed the stumps by a whisker with the opener nowhere in the frame. Fortunately for them, the lapse didn't prove costly.

Sehwag, having hit Daniel Vettori for a six in the previous delivery, went for a wild slog-sweep only to bottom edge it to Brendon McCullum behind the stumps and perish after a 25-ball 34.

Jeetan Patel then removed Gambhir and Vettori trapped Ishant for a duck to compound India's problem.

Earlier, Jesse Ryder's 201, his second hundred against India in three innings, proved the fulcrum around which New Zealand recovered from a shaky 23 for three to stack up an intimidating first innings total.

The stocky left-hander batted with great resolve throughout his 490-minute tenure at the crease, inspiring three significant partnerships which drove India to despair. A powerful striker of the ball, he showed great ability to moderate his innings, defending when the bowlers demanded respect, attacking when they strayed in line and length.

There were moments when Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma troubled him with deliveries that slanted away from him, but he dug in heels to ensure that New Zealand would keep the series bubbling until the third Test at Wellington.

Ryder, resuming at his overnight 137, became only the third Kiwi to score a double hundred against India.

Understandably, he was disappointed at casting away his wicket when he dragged Zaheer on to his sticks, immediately after bringing up his 200 off a disdainful pull. It was sad that a man who had been patient and watchful while consuming 328 deliveries, was to fling his willow in dismay as he entered the dressing room.

It wasn't Ryder's day alone at the McLean Park. James Franklin made a dignified 52 before falling victim to a misjudged single when Yuvraj relayed the ball to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik as he reluctantly responded to a call from Ryder.

The pair raised 121 runs for the fifth wicket, following the record 271 Ryder and Ross Taylor had assimilated yesterday.

McCullum and Vettori (55) piled on India's agony in the post-lunch session, garnering 128 runs with effortless ease for the seventh wicket. McCullum got into overdrive the moment he arrived at the crease, caning the bowlers who were by now listless and disheartened.

Cuts, pulls and drives blazed from his willow as he raced to his third Test hundred. With a declaration imminently around the corner, he chopped Ishant to Tendulkar at deep point.

Vettori, reprieved by Ishant at mid-off off Sehwag when he was on 37, went to complete his fifty before dragging a distant Ishant ball on to his off peg.

Zaheer, who developed a sore back after hurtling 34 overs, was the pick of the Indian bowlers (3 for 129), though Ishant Sharma also finished with three for 95.

Scoreboard at end of Day Three

New Zealand (1st innings):

M Guptill c Sehwag b Khan 8

T McIntosh c Karthik b Sharma 12

J How b Khan 1

R Taylor c Yuvraj Singh b Harbhajan Singh 151

J Ryder b Khan 201

J Franklin run out Yuvraj Singh/Karthik 52

B McCullum c Tendulkar b Sharma 115

D Vettori b Sharma 55

J Patel c Sharma b Harbhajan Singh 1

I O'Brien not out 1

Extras: (b 7, lb 8, nb 7) 22

Total: (9 wickets dec; 154.4 overs) 619

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (McIntosh), 2-22 (How), 3-23 (Guptill), 4-294 (Taylor), 5-415 (Franklin), 6-477 (Ryder) 7-605 (Vettori), 8-618 (McCullum), 9-619 (Patel)

Bowling: Khan 34-6-129-3 (4nb), Sharma 27-5-95-3, Patel 28-3-128-0 (2nb), Harbhajan Singh 41.4-7-120-2, Sehwag 12-0-73-0 (1nb), Yuvraj Singh 12-0-59-0

India (first innings):

G Gambhir c Vettori b Patel 16

V Sehwag c McCullum b Vettori 34

R Dravid not out 21

I Sharma lbw Vettori 0

S Tendulkar not out 0

Extras: (lb 7, nb 1) 8

Total: (3 wickets; 23 overs) 79

Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Sehwag), 2-73 (Gambhir), 3-78 (Sharma)

Bowling: Martin 6-1-26-0, Franklin 5-1-15-0 (1nb), Vettori 5-1-16-2, O'Brien 3-2-9-0, Patel 4-1-6-1