Taylor And Ryder Help New Zealand Reach 351

Taylor And Ryder Help New Zealand Reach 351

Ross Taylor (right) watches as a shot beats wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik.

©REUTERS/Anthony Phelps (NEW ZEALAND SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

New Zealand 351-4 (Taylor 151, Ryder 137no) v India

Scorecard
Second Test, McLean Park, Napier, day one: stumps
By Jim White

A fourth-wicket partnership of 271 between Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder set New Zealand on their way to closing day one of the second Test against India in Napier on 351 for four.

The pair came to the crease with their side in desperate trouble on 23 for three and both played some dashing strokes to turn the situation around.

The big news from the Indian camp early on was that captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was unable to play due to back problems so he was replaced by Dinesh Karthik while New Zealand made two changes, bringing in Jamie How and Jeetan Patel for Daniel Flynn and Kyle Mills.

Virender Sehwag captains in Dhoni's absence and he was in the action when he took the catch to dismiss Martin Guptill (eight) off of Zaheer, who one ball later had How bowled for one.

Ishant Sharma had got India's ball rolling by having Tim McIntosh caught by Karthik for 12.

Thereafter they struggled for a breakthrough and would have to wait until the final session to celebrate another wicket.

Taylor took full advantage of being dropped twice early in his innings to hit 26 fours and a six in his innings of 151 in 204 balls before he was caught by Yuvraj Singh off of Harbhajan Singh while Ryder hit 17 boundaries and swept Sehwag for a six to remain unbeaten having faced 220 deliveries.

Taylor reached his third century with a shot backward of square having almost run Ryder out looking for a quick single while Ryder got to his second century in as many matches with a drive through the covers.

Both men drove superbly, and were gifted more runs by some lackadaisical Indian outfielding.

James Franklin was unbeaten on 26, enjoying the luxury of being dropped by VVS Laxman and not being given out when he edged Sharma to Karthik.

India lead the series 1-0 after a ten-wicket win in Hamilton.

© Cricket World 2009

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