Kanpur: Indian bowlers toiled hard without much success as New Zealand came up with a resolute performance to be 152/1 before rain washed out the final session on the second day of the opening cricket Test here Friday at the Green Park.
Earlier India resuming at 291/9, India were bowled out for 318 in the morning session and in response, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (65 batting, 115b, 7×4) and Tom Latham (56 batting, 137b, 5×4) struck defiant half centuries to put the visitors in a position of strength. The two put up an unbeaten stand of 117 runs for the second wicket before the skies opened up. The only wicket to fall for the Kiwis was that of Martin Guptill (21) who was dismissed by Umesh Yadav (1/22)
The two Kiwi batsmen were hardly troubled by either Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja on a track which did not offer much assistance to the spinners. Except for the last few overs before tea, the two Kiwi batsmen remained untroubled even though they survived a few appeals and two specific incidents where they almost lost their wickets.
Williamson swept Ashwin often and also stayed on the back-foot, waiting for the balls to decide his stroke. Latham also remained solid against both the spinners and pacers.
The visiting captain survived when he tried to sweep Ashwin, missed the ball that hit him on the back of the helmet and hit the stumps but the bails were not dislodged. He was then on 39. Latham on the other hand swept Jadeja with the ball flying off his boot to KL Rahul at forward short-leg. However, Rahul allowed the ball to touch his helmet grill while taking the catch and hence the batsman was ruled not out.
With strike bowlers not making any impact, Kohli asked part-timer Murali Vijay to bowl his off-breaks. He almost got Latham on a full toss, which the batsman missed and was struck on the pads, but umpire shot down the vociferous appeal for LBW.
Latham completed his eighth Test fifty by guiding a Ashwin delivery to the covers for a couple. Williamson also completed his 23rd Test half century with a single off Jadeja.
In the first session, resuming at 291 for nine, Jadeja (42 n o, 44b, 7×4, 1×6) unleashed a few boundaries to take India past the 300-run mark as he added 41 runs for the last wicket with Yadav (nine).
Agencies
