India's pace arsenal justifies skipper MS Dhoni's decision to field first by taking six New Zealand wickets in the first session of the opening Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton today.
India's pace arsenal justifies skipper MS Dhoni's decision to field first by taking six New Zealand wickets in the first session of the opening Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton today. Here's how the triumverate ofu00a0 Zaheer, Ishant and Munaf dismantled the Kiwi top order
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king of swing: Zaheer Khan gave India a double breakthrough early this morning on Day One of the opening Test against New Zealand at the Seddon Park in Hamilton. pic/afp |
Martin Guptill (6.5 overs)Guptill hopes for a dream debut but that is not to be. The right-hander is the first to go as he hangs his bat to a Zaheer Khan delivery going away from him. The ball flies to Rahul Dravid's left, he dives for it but does not gather it cleanly and the ball pops out. But Dravid keeps his eye on the ball even while diving and pockets it at the second attempt. The catch is Dravid's 181st in Test cricket and puts him at the top of the heap along with Australian Mark Waugh.
Daniel Flynn (8.2 overs)Zaheer strikes again but luck favours him a bit this time. The ball is angled towards left-hander Flynn's pads and he tries to play it down to fine leg but only manages a thin edge. Dhoni moves smartly to his right and takes a diving catch. The left-handu00a0 bowler is now only one wicket shy of reaching the milestone of 200 wickets.
Tim McIntosh (16.2 overs)Opener McIntosh is having a torrid time against both Zaheer and Ishant Sharma from the beginning. In his first spell, Ishant had bowled a bit short but has got his length right in the second. This time, he bowls it much fuller, allowing the ball to swing and go away from the southpaw. McIntosh is guilt of playing inside the line of the ball and gets a thick outside edge that flies to Virender Sehwag. Sehwag has already dropped Ross Taylor but makes no mistake this time and takes the low catch rather easily.
Ross Taylor (20.4 overs)
Ishant sets up Taylor beautifully bringing back memories of his dismissals of Ricky Ponting. The first ball of the over jags back into Taylor while the second and the third deliveries hold their line from outside the off stump. The fourth one is pitched just outside the off stump and comes back. Taylor tries to play a forcing shot but the ball gor past his bat, brushes the pads and hits the stumps. With New Zealand's most experienced top-order batsman walking back to the pavilion, there's plenty to worry about for the home team.
James Franklin (20.6 overs)
Franklin came to the international scene as a bowler who can bat a bit. But the scenario has changed drastically. Riding on his scoring spree in domestic cricket, he is making his comeback to Test cricket more as a batsman than a bowler but the luck is clearly not with him. A peach of an delivery from Ishan pitches on the middle and off and moves away from the southpaw. Franklin misses the ball completely and takes the flap of the backfoot pad. There was no deviation but the sound seems very much like an edge and that is enough for Simon Taufel, who upholds the appeal almost as soon as it is voiced.
Brendon McCullum (23.1 overs)
Munaf Patel is finally rewarded for some very consistent bowling. Hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman McCullum pushes hard at a delivery that pitches just short of good length and moves away fractionally. The edge carries to VVS Laxman at third slip at a very comfortable height and he doesn't drop too many.
There was a lot of debate over India's third seamer and the toss-up was between Munaf and Lakshmipathy Balaji. Munaf's spell in the first session vindicates the think-tank's decision to pick him ahead of Balaji.
