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New Zealand Four Down After Being Set 619 To Win

Monday 6 April 2009

India 379 (Tendulkar 62) & 434-7 dec. (Gambhir 167) v

New Zealand 197 (Zaheer Khan 5-65) & 167-4 (Taylor 69no)

Third Test, Basin Reserve, Wellington, day four: stumps

New Zealand lost four wickets after they were set an unlikely 619 to beat India in the third and final Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington to close day four on 167 for four.

India, 1-0 up in the series, batted on until shortly before lunch but the day's play was called off with 21 overs remaining when bad light was offered to the New Zealand batsmen, Ross Taylor and James Franklin, who have so far added 83 for the fifth wicket.

Yuvraj Singh (40) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (56 not out) continued to score their runs at a good pace in the morning session to set up the declaration before Chris Martin had both Yuvraj and Harbhajan Singh (0) caught in the same over to finish with three for 70.

Zaheer Khan made a swift unbeaten 18 and then got early breakthroughs with the ball to dismiss Tim McIntosh (4), caught by Dravid for his record 182nd outfield catch, and Daniel Flynn (10). Martin Guptill was looking assured at the crease, reaching 49 in 93 balls until he was trapped in front by Harbhajan Singh to leave his side 84 for three and when two balls later Jesse Ryder edged Harbhajan to Rahul Dravid at slip, it was 94 for four and India must have been thinking about wrapping up the series in quick time.

However, they were stalled by Taylor (69 not out) and Franklin (26 not out), and must come back tomorrow to try to take the six wickets they need to seal a 2-0 win, or simply stop New Zealand scorng the remaining 452 runs they need to level.

India won the first Test in Hamilton by ten wickets before the second match in Napier was drawn. India, helped by half-centuries from Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan and Dhoni, took control of the match as Zaheer picked up five wickets. A Gautam Gambhir century in their second innings of 434 for seven enabled them to effectively bat New Zealand out of the game.