Five-wicket Martin inspires New Zealand recovery
Fast bowler Chris Martin bagged a five-wicket haul as New Zealand
staged a dramatic comeback on the fourth day of the first Test against
India on Sunday. Martin (5-25) polished off India's top-order in a
sensational opening spell of 4-15 off nine overs, including six maidens,
before returning to claim his fifth wicket towards the close at the
Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. At stumps, India were reeling at
82-6, with Venkatsai Laxman (34) and Harbhajan Singh (12) the not out
batsmen.
India lead by 110 runs after bowling out the Black Caps for 459, an
innings built around a patient debut century from 20-year-old Kane
Williamson (131).
"It was a superb effort by our bowlers," said Williamson. "After
Martin's third wicket, the bowlers were really charged up at the tea
break and hungry to have a go at their batsmen.
"As for my batting, I guess patience was the key. We knew we would
have to play top-class spin bowling on Indian wickets. We prepared very
hard for it and it paid off." Martin, 35, triggered a dramatic Indian
collapse, getting rid of Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar
and Suresh Raina inside the first 11 overs with just 15 runs on board.
Gambhir, suffering a lean spell with the bat this year, was out for a
duck, edging Martin behind off the third ball of the innings. Virender
Sehwag, who top-scored with 173 in India's first-innings 487, was run
out by substitute Martin Guptill before Dravid was caught behind.
AHMEDABAD, AFP
INDIA 1ST INNINGS 487 NEW ZEALAND
(overnight 331-5):
T. McIntosh c Dhoni b Zaheer 0
B. McCullum st Dhoni b Ojha 65
BJ Watling b Ojha 6
R. Taylor c Laxman b Harbhajan 56
J. Ryder lbw b Sreesanth 103
K. Williamson c Laxman b Ojha 131
D. Vettori c Dhoni b Raina 41
G. Hopkins lbw b Ojha 14
J. Patel b Sreesanth 14
H. Bennett b Zaheer 4
C. Martin not out 3
Extras: (b5, lb12, nb5) 22
Total (all out; 165.4 overs) 459
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-27, 3-131, 4-137, 5-331, 6-417, 7-417, 8-445, 9-445, 10-459.
Bowling: Zaheer 28.4-6-70-2, Sreesanth 26-2-88-2 (nb5), Ojha 53-14-107-4,
Harbhajan 43-7-112-1, Sehwag 1-0-7-0, Raina 12-1-42-1, Tendulkar 2-0-16-0.
INDIA
2ND INNINGS
G. Gambhir c Hopkins b Martin 0
V. Sehwag run out 1
R. Dravid Hopkins b Martin 1
S. Tendulkar b Martin 12
V. Laxman not out 34
S. Raina c Taylor b Martin 0
MS Dhoni b Martin 22
H. Singh not out 12
Extras: (0) 0
Total (for six wkts; 40 overs) 82
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-15, 5-15, 6-65.
Bowling: Martin 13-7-25-5, Vettori 15-2-31-0, Patel 10-1-18-0, Williamson 2-0-8-0.
India lead by 110 runs with four wickets in hand. |
