Zeecric Bureau
Wellington, April 04: Zaheer Khan ripped through the New Zealand top-order, bagging a fiver as the home team was bundled out for 197 runs, into the final session on the second day of the third and final Test at Wellington on Saturday.
With a cushion of a 182 run lead, India suffered a minor jolt when Virender Sehwag (12 runs) fell cheaply in the second innings.
Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid denied New Zealand any further inroads, as India ended Day 2 at 51/1, with an overall lead of 233 runs. Gambhir was unbeaten on 28, while Dravid was on 9 when stumps were drawn.
Sehwag’s wicket was to be the only bright spot for New Zealand on a day when Zaheer wreaked havoc with some lethal spells. Steaming in like a man possessed, he claimed his first victim in Martin Guptill (17 runs). Undone by bounce, Guptill ended up rattling his own stumps.
Daniel Flynn (2 runs), his next victim, brought his doom by fishing for an away going delivery outside the off-stump.
Fall of Flynn brought Jesse Ryder to the crease, who, along with Timothy McIntosh saw off New Zealand to 64/2 at lunch.
Zaheer’s dream spell continued into the post lunch session as well as he removed McIntosh (32 runs) and dangerman Ryder (3).
Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma too got into the act, first the offie, by nipping Ross Taylor’s promising knock (35 runs) in the bud, and removing James Franklin (15 runs), and then the Delhi speedster removing Daniel Vettori (11 runs) to leave New Zealand at 125/6, staring at the realistic prospect of having to follow-on.
Brendon McCullum (24 runs) and Tim Southee (16 runs) tried to do `a rescue act`, but Zaheer poured water on their hopes, returning to remove Southee.
Harbhajan then removed McCullam, caught behind the stumps by Mahendra Singh Dhoni (his 5th victim) as any hopes of a New Zealand fightback evaporated.
Ian O`Brian (19 runs) hit some lusty blows and perished in pursuit of runs, with Munaf Patel claiming his maiden victim. New Zealand`s first innings folded up for 197 runs.
Zaheer ended with figures of 5/65, while Harbhajan picked up 3 wickets for 43 runs. Ishant and Munaf chipped in with a wicket each. Dhoni too, with 6 victims behind the stumps, created a personal best record.
Earlier, resuming the day at 375/9, the Indian innings folded up for 379 with Ishant’s resistance coming to an end in the morning’s third over itself. He made 18.
