For the third day running, on a very flat track, New Zealand stuck to their task and maintained control of this Test

The Bulletin by Jamie Alter28-Mar-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Chris Martin’s strikes with the new ball were instrumental in New Zealand bowling India out for 305•Getty Images”Day 3 belongs to NZ” read a felt-penned placard on the grassy embankment at McLean Park. Around those four words were 11 pink hearts, neatly and accurately cut out by some loving fan, with each of the New Zealand players’ names loosely scribbled in the middle. It aptly summarised the third day’s play for the home side – a wee bit ragged, a lot tidier, and full of spirit.For the third day running, on a flat track, New Zealand stuck to their task and stayed in control of this Test. Threatening partnerships were broken shortly before the lunch and tea intervals, and they came out to polish off the rest of the Indian batting order in the final session. India’s shot selection was questionable but there was no taking away from a dominant New Zealand, who rarely wavered in their lines and produced a sustained fightback. India failed to score even half of New Zealand’s total. They lost their last four wickets for 35 runs after tea and a chuffed Daniel Vettori had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on.To cap off an excellent day, New Zealand got rid of Virender Sehwag cheaply once again, though it owed more to bad batting than good bowling. Sehwag played another ugly heave across the line to Jeetan Patel and was hit on the back leg, in front of off stump. And for the second time in the day Rahul Dravid found himself batting for survival.Faced with a massive challenge earlier, Dravid and VVS Laxman had put their heads together on a good batting strip and shared a solid stand before a rash shot broke the Indian recovery. Vettori called on Jesse Ryder’s military-medium stuff and was rewarded immediately when Dravid chased and edged a short and wide delivery, leaving India 246 for 5.New Zealand seized the opening and sliced through the rest of the line-up with the second new ball. An out of sorts Yuvraj Singh lunged at one from Chris Martin and edged to slip for an 11-ball duck. It was Martin’s 150th Test wicket and New Zealand were right back on top.In a swift passage of play, they came out after tea and removed four wickets in 23 balls. Vettori requested a change of the new ball after it lost shape, and the one brought out allowed New Zealand to hack away. Martin used it superbly to Dinesh Karthik, varying his length before bowling a full, away-swinging delivery which Karthik edged to slip.Smart StatsThe 314-run lead for New Zealand is their highest in a Test against India. The previous record was 295, in Christchurch in 1990, in a match New Zealand won by ten wickets.It’s the fifth time Zealand have enforced the follow-on against India. India have drawn two of those games, both at home, but have lost of both occasions – in 1967-68 and 1989-90 – when they’ve followed on in New Zealand. In all, of the 29 matches when they’ve been asked to follow, India have lost 21, drawn seven and won one. New Zealand have won ten out of 13 games when they’ve enforced the follow-on, and on each of the seven occasions when they’ve done so at home.New Zealand have never won a Test in Napier. In seven previous matches, they have drawn five and lost two.Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman are the second-most prolific pair for the fifth wicket, with 1410 runs in 23 innings at an average of 67.14. Only Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh have added more runs for the fifth wicket.Laxman clanged Iain O’Brien for consecutive boundaries but soon steered an outswinger from Martin to the waiting slip cordon. Harbhajan Singh came in and threw his bat around for 18 from 11 balls, including one rollicking six off O’Brien over midwicket, but the bowler had the last laugh when Harbhajan eventually picked out deep square leg. A snorter of a catch by Ryder at gully accounted Zaheer Khan next ball and the Indian innings ended on 305. India had resisted, in bursts, but New Zealand fought back harder with a flurry of wickets.Until Dravid’s error, he and Laxman – the second most successful fifth-wicket pair in Test cricket – looked inseparable. After Sachin Tendulkar fell for 49, Dravid was joined by Laxman and they meshed impeccable technique with delicate drives that drew warm applause from a sparse crowd.Two beautifully timed boundaries off Patel with trademark authority early on set the tone for a Laxman innings, highlighted by dainty footwork, crisp use of the wrists, and elegant shot selection. Laxman stayed true to his graceful nature as his innings progressed. He handled Vettori and Patel almost effortlessly and even their good deliveries were occasionally driven through cover with disregard. Post lunch, he caressed boundaries either side of the pitch and even afforded himself an aerial shot – not a heave, but a cocked-wrist flick – over midwicket off Patel. These shots took him through the twenties, so often a bogey phase for Laxman, and his half-century was not far away.Carrying another uncomfortable load with few complaints, Dravid and Tendulkar had lifted Indian spirits for an hour and a half in the morning. To the spinners, Dravid either came down to smother the spin or went right back to play with the turn. Against the faster bowlers he played straight and left with confidence, but also pulled out some top shots. He drove Martin and Vettori firmly through between cover and mid-off; O’Brien dropped short, and Dravid cut. When O’Brien did it again Dravid cut hard past backward point to reach his half-century off 110 balls.Tendulkar had begun splendidly, essaying an array of shots around the ground and playing with poise until he was undone by his first half-hearted shot of the morning. Patel had been getting him to play strokes and that worked for New Zealand when Tendulkar was lured forward and edged to first slip. It was moments like this – persevering, not spectacular – on which New Zealand owned today.The third day of this Test had players from both sides playing intense, determined cricket but it was New Zealand – desperate to end the day with an advantage – who emphatically finished on top. Somewhere, a home fan is keeping that placard and felt pen ready for tomorrow.