Indian bowlers made amends for the inept display by the batsmen as the visitors clawed back into the match with late strikes to reduce New Zealand to 201 for seven on a truncated second day of the first Test here today. The hosts were cruising along comfortably at 181 for three before the Indians staged a comeback of sorts with four dismissals in quick succession in the extended last session of play though Mark Richardson held one end up with a disciplined unbeaten 83. SCOREBOARD India (1st Innings): 161 New Zealand (1st Innings): M Richardson batting 83; L Vincent c Patel b Bangar 12; S Fleming b Zaheer Khan 25; C McMillan lbw Bangar 9; N Astle c Harbhajan Singh b Zaheer Khan 41; S Styris st Patel b Harbhajan Singh 0; J Oram lbw Harbhajan Singh 0; R Hart lbw Zaheer Khan 6; D Vettori batting 0; Extras (b6, lb11, w1, nb7): 25; Total (for 7 wkts): 201 Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-96, 3-111, 4-181, 5-182, 6-186, 7-201. Bowling: Zaheer Khan 18-5-42-3, Nehra 19-4-50-0, Agarkar 9-1-36-0, Bangar 15-4-23-2, Harbhajan Singh 13-3-22-2, Ganguly 2-0-11-0. Left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan (3-42), offie Harbhajan Singh (2-22) and Sanjay Bangar (2-23) struck crucial blows to keep the Indians in the game after overnight rains wiped out the entire morning session. Opener Richardson played cautiously to remain unconquered after facing 221 balls while Daniel Vettori was yet to open his account at stumps as New Zealand gained a 40-run first innings lead on a Basin Reserve pitch which has eased out quite a bit. Resuming at their overnight score of 53 for 1, the hosts seemed to tighten their grip on the match as Richardson and captain Stephen Fleming negotiated the Indian attack confidently and took the score to 92 for one at tea. But the complexion of the game changed rapidly after the break as the visitors sent back Fleming (25) and the dangerous Craig McMillan (O) in the span of three overs to make inroads into the inexperienced middle-order. The combined attack of Zaheer and Harbhajan, which came only in the last hour, puzzled the New Zealand batsmen and the hosts’ batting suddenly looked vulnerable. New Zealand seemed poised for a big lead, with Richardson intent on batting through the day, before Indians struck back with four wickets conceding only 22 runs in the final hour. In between the two strikes by Zaheer Khan - Nathan Astle and wicketkeeper Robert Hart - Harbhajan Singh discounted all theories about it being a seamers’ pitch when he scalped Scott Styris and debutant Jacob Oram — both for nought.(PTI)
