Ton-up Ryder, Williamson thwart India
AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) - Jesse Ryder struck a remarkable 103
and shared a 194-run stand with debutant Kane Williamson to defy world
number one India on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand
on Saturday.
Ryder struck 10 fours and a six in his 205-ball knock while
Williamson was equally impressive in making 87 not out as New Zealand
reached 331-5 at stumps at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.
That left the visitors 156 runs adrift of India’s first-innings 487.
Ryder completed his third century -- all of which have come against
India -- with a delightful four in the covers but was trapped lbw by
Shanthakumaran Sreesanth one ball later in the day’s last over.
New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum said the team was delighted by
the efforts of the fifth-wicket pair. “We have not seen a number five
and six bat like this in a very long time,” he said. “Ryder has had
disciplinary problems but we’d rather not talk about that. He says he
has put that behind and moved on.
“Each time he steps out to bat, the team has massive faith in him. As
for Williamson, in New Zealand you don’t see kids come through by the
age of 20. So, for him to come out and bat the way he did, it is just
incredible.”
India’s bowlers struggled in unhelpful conditions, with a dodgy
caught behind decision involving Williamson and a dropped catch of Ryder
adding to their woes.
Williamson, who scored his maiden one-day century during New
Zealand’s recent tour of Bangladesh, however showed remarkable
application in his nearly five-hour stay at the wicket.
He even dealt calmly with a chest-high beamer from Sreesanth, which
prompted Australian umpire Steve Davis to have a quiet word with the
fast bowler.
“It (beamer) was not intentional,” said Sreesanth. “I used to lose
temper earlier but now I am smarter. It was frustrating to bowl on a
wicket which had nothing for the bowlers.
“Given the conditions, I think all our bowlers bowled very well. We
now need to get rid of the remaining New Zealand batsmen as early as
possible.”
Ryder was dropped on 11 in the slips by Rahul Dravid, who failed to
latch on to the catch on his right despite getting his fingers to the
ball, the unlucky bowler being Sreesanth.
Injury-prone Ryder, playing his first Test in 15 months, was troubled
by a strain in the calf and took the help of a runner in the latter part
of his knock.
India’s spin duo Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh earlier removed
McCullum (65) and Ross Taylor (56) shortly before lunch after they had
put on 104 runs for the third wicket.
McCullum, opening for the first time in Tests, completed his 17th
Test half-century with a single in the covers after driving Sreesanth
twice for fours.
Taylor provided good support to his partner, reaching his 10th Test
fifty with a boundary off Harbhajan, but he fell soon after to the
off-spinner, offering a simple catch at short mid-wicket to Venkatsai
Laxman.
SCORE BOARD
INDIA
1ST INNINGS
(487 - V. Sehwag 173, R. Dravid 104, H. Singh 69; D. Vettori 4-118)
NEW ZEALAND
1ST INNINGS
(overnight 69-2)
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 not out 87
Extras (b1, lb9, nb4) 14
Total (for five wkts; 117.3 overs) 331
Fall of wickets: 1-8 (McIntosh), 2-27 (Watling)
3-131 (Taylor), 4-137 (McCullum)
5-331 (Ryder).
Bowling: Zaheer 19-6-38-1
Sreesanth 17.3-1-70-1 (nb4)
Ojha 38-8-80-2
Harbhajan 34-7-90-1
Sehwag 1-0-7-0
Raina 6-0-20-0
Tendulkar 2-0-16-0 |