New Zealand take slender lead at lunch

India's lower-order failed to make any substantial contribution as Tim Southee's career-best seven-wicket haul helped New Zealand bowl the hosts out for 353 before grabbing a 41-run second innings lead at lunch on the third day of the second cricket Test.


At the break, New Zealand were 29 for no loss, building on the slender 12-run lead they managed to get after dismissing India minutes before lunch.

The Indian first innings folded after their batsmen failed to negotiate an inspiring spell from Southee who used the second new ball and existing pitch conditions to his advantage picking up four wickets out of the remaining five with extraordinary figures of 7 for 64.

Southee sent packing centurion Virat Kohli, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Zaheer Khan and Pragyan Ojha in quick succession with the new ball early on.

The overnight Indian pair of Kohli and Dhoni resumed the innings with couple of hits to the fence. But they succumbed to some magnificent bowling by Southee.

The Indian batsmen, especially Kohli and Dhoni, spurned an opportunity to consolidate on the overnight score of 283 for five. Once the top-half was gone, the Indian tail too did not wag much.

R Ashwin (32 not out) was an exception though, scoring runs in boundaries before he fell short of partners at the other end.

Ashwin, with Umesh Yadav (4), knit a 33 runs partnership for the last wicket giving some anxious moments to the Kiwis.

Yadav was dismissed by Boult after he disturbed the batsman's timber.

Amid Southee's inspiring spell, Indians had a rare occasion to celebrate when Kohli got to his second Test century by clipping Trent Boult to deep midwicket fence and Dhoni reached his 26th Test fifty with an awesome punch off the backfoot over the fence.

Batting overnight at 93, Kohli began Day 3 with a majestic shot flicking an angling ball from Bracewell to deep backward square leg. The Delhiite departed soon after getting to his century as he was trapped by Southee for a well-made 103 that came off 193 balls and included 14 fours and a six.

Losing Kohli at the other end, Dhoni played aggressively hammering Bracewell for consecutive boundaries. The Indian skipper also departed after scoring 62 runs with eight boundaries and two sixes after he was trapped by Southee.

Southee once again struck scalping Zaheer Khan behind the wicket for seven runs after he hammered him for a massive six in his previous over. He also sent back Ojha after the tailender was caught by Kruger van Wyk for 4. (PTI)

Brief Scores: New Zealand 365 & 29 for 0 (Brendon McCullum 21*, Martin Guptill 7*) lead India 353 (Virat Kohli 103, MS Dhoni 62, Suresh Raina 55, Virender Sehwag 43; Tim Southee 7 for 64) by 41 runs.