India secure Napier draw

Eurosport - Tue, 31 Mar 07:51:00 2009

Vangipurappu Laxman scored his 14th Test century after Gautam Gambhir had batted for almost 11 hours to ensure India secured a draw in the second Test against New Zealand.

India's VVS Laxman plays a shot as New Zealand's Jamie How (R) jumps during the second Test in Napier - 0

India, forced to follow on after being bowled out for 305, declared their second innings closed at 476 for four shortly after Laxman had scored his century.

With New Zealand needing 163 to win in less than 17 overs, both captains agreed to call the match off.

Laxman was unbeaten on 124 and Yuvraj Singh was 54 not out for India, who lead the three-match series 1-0 after a 10-wicket victory in the Hamilton Test.

"After the performance we had in Hamilton, to bounce back and play like we did here is very pleasing," New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said.

"The performances of Jesse Ryder (201), Ross Taylor (151) and Brendon McCullum (115) with the bat and backed up by a magnificent first innings bowling spell.

"I think the amount of pressure we put India under was fantastic."

Gambhir, who batted for 642 minutes and faced 436 balls, was finally dismissed for 137 after being trapped in front by offspinner Jeetan Patel before tea.

It was the fourth-lowest Test score for anyone who batted over 10 hours in a single innings.

Only New Zealand's Jeff Crowe (120 in 609 minutes), Sri Lanka's Asanka Gurusinha (128 in 607 minutes) and West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul (136 not out in 675 minutes) scored fewer runs.

"We were very strong," India's stand in captain Virender Sehwag said.

"We knew we had players who could bat a couple of days - Laxman, Dravid, Gautam, Sachin - they can bat for two days. The dressing room atmosphere was fantastic."

Gambhir had produced a near chanceless innings before he reached 125, whereupon he hit the ball straight to mid-on where pace bowler Iain O'Brien juggled then dropped a sitter.

India's lead at the time was 13 runs after they were forced to follow on in reply to New Zealand's 619 for nine declared.

Tendulkar was the only wicket to fall on the benign McLean Park wicket in the first session when he was caught by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum off Chris Martin for 64 and his dismissal gave New Zealand faint hope they could bowl India out.

"Tendulkar looked the most comfortable, he played his shots and put us under pressure - - the others looked to defend and soak up time," Vettori said.

"When he was dismissed there was a feel-good spirit in the team but the wicket got the better of us in the end."

Reuters

Comment 8 - 27 of 27

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  1. Ankush...the only sport India will ever be good at is­ cricket

    From laboca123, on Sun 29 Mar 10:39AM

  2. atleast we do not get all out on 117­
    jackass
    lolzzz
    look whos talking
    poms...!!

    From ankush, on Sat 28 Mar 12:41PM

  3. asif m. as if more like. think you may get your bottys­ spanked by the kiwis

    From lindseyrussell69, on Sat 28 Mar 9:54AM

  4. COME ON INDIA !!!! INDIA INDIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    From asif m, on Fri 27 Mar 8:32PM

  5. to kaly-eea , try somewhere else.this is aplace for­ decent people.

    From manab2, on Thu 26 Mar 9:37PM

  6. hello , now youget it what i was talking about , ­ lindseyrussell69, ? & AGAIN I MUST SAY­ INDIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!!! INDIA ­ !!!!!!!!!!

    From asif m, on Sun 29 Mar 10:42PM

  7. laboca123,Atlease India is good at Cricket what is your­ country good at yet.When did they win anything­ significant.

    From mack_a123, on Sun 29 Mar 4:47PM

  8. Ref The Man.......pointing is nowhere near great­ Tendular..... Noone can come near to Tendular's­ acheievement... Dont forget Pointing never have to face­ Warne and Mcgrath..And Tendular played and smash them­ all over...Ref your smelly bag... its better smell than­ fish n chips...I dont know how yahoo allow comments­ like yours to be printed on this site

    From ian f, on Sun 29 Mar 1:07PM

  9. this is why when you watch test cricket outside of­ England and australia
    there is nobody in the­ grounds.
    with bore draws and wickets like in the­ windies this year we should have the grounds completly­ empty.
    I love test cricket but it's dying and were­ watching it commit suicide the icc needs to act fast­ and change the laws

    From trentbridge47, on Mon 30 Mar 11:06AM

  10. mack..Do you mean my fathers country England? Rugby­ world champs and football world champs. Or my mothers­ country Brasil. Football, MMA , Volleyball etc. Now­ hows the kabaddi?

    From laboca123, on Sun 29 Mar 7:37PM

  11. Hi, I saw few ppl talking abt Indian sports.. n our­ capabilities..! Well.. shut up U ppl..! What do U know­ abt India..!? Here, Vishwanathan Anand is a world­ beater in chess as he now leads the table with no.1­ ranking chess player in the world, We have grandslam­ winners in Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania­ Mirza all crwoned as doubles champions in various­ tennis slams. Now, the Australian open junior champion­ and junior world no.1 is a Inadian in Yuki Bhampri, In­ squash we have our own Joshna chinnappa who is at no.2­ at world rankings, We are the no.1 team in the world in­ Kabadi, We have world beaters in shooting as we have­ got gold medal in beijing olympics from Abhinav­ Bindhra, We have got world champions in Billiards and­ Snookers in Bangaj Adhvani, keeth Sethi and Ashok­ Malhothra, Konerhu Humpi is the leading ladies champion­ in Chess.., She is just behind Judith Bolkar in­ woman's field..

    Well.. In carrom, we are the world­ champions for decades... Better know those things..­ Better collect knowledge about Sports.. Its not all­ about Rugby and football alone.. Mind it.

    We have our­ own fields to excell.. Nowadays, Cricket also come to­ the fore..Thats it..

    From charles, on Tue 31 Mar 4:11AM

  12. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CRICKET OR INDIA , MR laboca123­ ? IF YOU DONT KNOW ABOUT EITHER DONT OPEN YOUR MOUTH MR­ laboca123 ,, OK ?

    From asif m, on Mon 30 Mar 4:31PM

  13. INDIA WILL WIN SERIES VERY EASILY , ANY DOUBT TO­ ANYONE ???? NO CHANCE........ ­ INDIAAAAAAAAAAAAA............ INDIA

    From asif m, on Sun 29 Mar 10:52PM

  14. I THINK YOU DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT CRICKET MR The Man, ­ IF YOU KNOW ABOUT CRICKET OR INDIAN CRICKET YOU NEVER­ TALK LIKE CHILD OR BEBY , HAVE A SOME MIKE .... LOL

    From asif m, on Sun 29 Mar 10:44PM

  15. hw the hell can u say that Indians can't run or­ field. India's rated 3rd by ICC u fool

    From Jackson, on Sun 29 Mar 2:18PM

  16. I guess when you live in India , you would want to move­ to pommie land for hygiene purposes. Good luck to all­ of you, I am glad I dont live in the UK anymore

    From laboca123, on Wed 1 Apr 10:19AM

  17. LMAO Kabaddi?? Chess?? How many medals did you get in­ the olympics? and whats your population? hahahahah

    From laboca123, on Tue 31 Mar 9:21AM

  18. excellent charles
    you said it all !!

    save it you might­ need it again for more pommies somewhere else
    lolzz

    From ankush, on Tue 31 Mar 7:50AM

  19. INDIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA........!!!!!!!!!!!!...... INDIA

    From asif m, on Mon 30 Mar 4:20PM

  20. HELLO TO ALL MY GOOD CRICKET SUPPPORTER , WHERE IS MR­ The Man ? & lindseyrussell69 ? I BELIEVE THEY BOTH­ HIDDING OWN FACE IN OWN A**

    From asif m, on Mon 30 Mar 4:20PM
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