Batsmen Set Big Lead for India Against New Zealand

Nagpur: Virendra Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar hit fine half-centuries as India raced to 292/2 on the second day of the third and final Test against New Zealand on Sunday.

Sehwag clobbered 12 fours and a six in his 73-ball 74 to give the hosts early momentum before Gambhir joined in the run feast with a stroke-filled 78 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

Gambhir added 113 runs for the opening wicket with Sehwag and another 79 for the second with Rahul Dravid to help India establish a 12-run lead in reply to New Zealand's first-innings 193, with eight wickets still in hand.

After openers, an unbeaten 100-run partnership between Dravid (69*) and Tendulkar (57*) enbaled India to take a 99-run lead over NZ at stumps on Day two.

Gambhir survived a testing first hour before opening up to hit 12 fours during his 127-ball innings, which was cut short when he slashed paceman Tim Southee (1-41) to Ross Taylor in the slips.

After bundling out New Zealand early during the first session, the Indians got off to a flying start, thanks to the entertaining knock by Sehwag.

He clubbed Southee for two successive fours and hoisted left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori over long-on for a huge six en route to his 26th Test half-century.

He hit Vettori again for three fours in a row but ended up offering a tame return catch to the Kiwi captain shortly into the afternoon session.

Earlier, paceman Ishant Sharma (4/43) picked up two quick New Zealand wickets before left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (3/57) removed last-man Southee to wrap up the Black Caps' first innings in less than 11 overs.

Southee hit three sixes, two of those in an over by off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, in his cameo 38-run knock.

Brendon McCullum, laid low by back spasms which forced him to bat at number eight, gifted away his wicket by poking at a delivery outside the off-stump by Sharma. He could add just six runs to his overnight 34.

In his opener's role, McCullum had hit a maiden double-century in the second Test in Hyderabad.

Sharma claimed his fourth wicket of the match by bowling debutant Andy McKay through the gate for five.

Brief scores
New Zealand 193 (McCullum 40, Southee 38, Ishant 4-43)
India 292 for 2 (Gambhir 78, Sehwag 74, Dravid 69*, Tendulkar 57*)
Status India lead by 99 runs