The second day’s play in the India vs New Zealand at Eden Gardens on Saturday started with Trent Boult delivering a bouncer to Wriddhiman Saha. The day ended with the visitors trying to avoid being knocked out just like Saha did
Bhuvneshwar Kumar in full flight on Saturday. Pic/AFP
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Kolkata: The second day’s play in the India vs New Zealand at Eden Gardens on Saturday started with Trent Boult delivering a bouncer to Wriddhiman Saha. The day ended with the visitors trying to avoid being knocked out just like Saha did.
But, in many ways, New Zealand are already down and only a poor performance from the Indian bowlers or the rain Gods can prevent New Zealand from succumbing to defeat for the second time in the series.
Saha, meanwhile, recovered in time to cover drive Boult immaculately to the boundary. He was determined to boost the Indian total in company of Ravindra Jadeja. Saha’s third half century for India was a special one. It contributed to India posting a fighting total of 316 and it was scored on his home ground.
He refused to be conquered and could have teamed up with Jadeja for a sizeable partnership had Neil Wagner not chosen to go around the wicket to Jadeja. In the previous over, Jadeja lofted Mitchell Santner for a six over mid-wicket. Jadeja couldn’t resist himself against Wagner’s short ball, hooking it to long leg where Matt Henry held on to the catch.Saha thrilled his home crowd by cracking with seven fours and two sixes, proving much evidence of the wicketkeeper working on his batting. To see him flourish against the new ball was heartening.
Talking of the new ball, Bhuvneshwar, who opened the bowling with Mohammed Shami, caused shockwaves in the New Zealand camp with figures of five for 33 in just 10 overs.
“There was more movement under lights. Vision gets affected under lights. Bhuvi and Shami bowled in the right areas. We want to get them all out as quickly as possible tomorrow morning,” said Saha.
Martin Guptill (13) was Bhuvneshwar’s first victim, the ball hitting Guptill on his elbow before disturbing his furniture. Henry Nicholls played on and walked back with one against his name just like opener Tom Latham.
Stand-in skipper Ross Taylor stitched together a partnership with Luke Ronchi before the in-form batsman was trapped leg before by Jadeja. Rain caused the players to head to the pavilion and when they returned Bhuvneshwar couldn’t wait to get back into the groove. A delivery of immaculate line and length saw Taylor perish as he nicked one to first slip. It was another exhibition of high quality swing bowling.
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