Team with a `hero’ will win

WELLINGTON, DEC 29: How many more twists can there be in this absorbing Test match? This Test is here for the taking by either team. All ...

WELLINGTON, DEC 29: How many more twists can there be in this absorbing Test match? This Test is here for the taking by either team. All it needs is a hero, a person to stand up and be counted and win the match for his team. Tomorrow, Craig McMillan and Chris Cairns need to fire for New Zealand while Anil Kumble remains the potential match winner for India. With New Zealand needing a further 140 runs and India six wickets, India have the advantage especially with Nathan Astle having a broken bone in his hand.

The wind also created problems for batsmen. In picking up the bat to play shots, the bat would wave around in the air and at times it would be more difficult to control shots, let alone concentrate with the dust blowing into the batsman’s face off the pitch. It was a little easier batting with the wind behind the batsman, while the bowler laboured into it because the batsman could hit with the wind with more control. The fielders also would have found the conditions unpleasant. Again they can losebalance and it is difficult to concentrate and chase the ball hard in the field and return the ball firmly to the keeper.

India came back strongly in the final session putting New Zealand under pressure again. India have always felt that if they had a lead of 220 they could win the match. Tendulkar’s 17th Test century was a touch of class, elegance, timing and power. The fifth wicket partnership of 97 in 103 minutes between Tendulkar and Azharuddin gave India great heart and encouragement. When their partnership was broken by Nash, who dismissed both of them, the Black Caps gained the ascendancy again. When India were 160 ahead, with three wickets in hand, surely that was not going to be enough to allow India to win.

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After lunch, Nash and Doull broke the back of Indian batting, taking three quick wickets in only 25 balls. India will be disappointed with their performance between lunch and tea when they lost six wickets for 66 leaving New Zealand to score 213 for victory, with a minimum of 118 oversavailable to bowl.

The New Zealand bowlers toiled today and stuck to their task on a placid pitch. Bowling into a strong wind, Nash’s performance was again a gutsy and inspirational display. He finished with figures of three for 20 in a score of 356, which is quite outstanding. Perhaps tomorrow he will be asked to do it again with the bat and if he can, he is likely to named `Man of the Match.’

Tonight will be a sleepless night for most if not for all the players as they ponder the possible outcome tomorrow.

SCOREBOARD

India (1st innings): 208

New Zealand (1st innings): 352

India (2nd innings): Ajay Jadeja b Nash 22, Navjot Sidhu lbw Doull 34, Rahul Dravid b Wiseman 28, Saurav Ganguly c Bell b Wiseman 48, Sachin Tendulkar c Fleming b Nash 113, Mohd Azharuddin c Parore b Nash 48, Nayan Mongia c Fleming b Doull 2, Anil Kumble c Nash b Vettori 23, Javagal Srinath not out 27, Venkatesh Prasad c&b Astle 0, Harbhajan Singh c Horne b McMillan 1; Extras (nb5, lb1, b3, w1): 10. Total:356

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Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-74, 3-112, 4-200, 5-297, 6-304, 7-304, 8-346, 9-349.

Bowling: Doull 25-10-49-2, Cairns 19-2-68-0, Nash 15-9-20-3, Vettori 20-6-92-1, McMillan 9.5-2-26-1, Wiseman 19-1-90-2, Astle 7-3-7-1.

New Zealand (2nd innings): Matthew Bell c Dravid b Srinath Matthew Horne lbw Kumble 31, Stephen Fleming b Kumble 17, Nathan Astle retd hurt 0, Craig McMillan batting 17, Adam Parore run out 1, Paul Wiseman not out 1; Extras (lb1, b4, nb1): 6. Total (for four wkts, 28 overs): 73

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-42, 3-51, 4-67.

Bowling: Srinath 8-1-27-1, Prasad 6-1-20-0, Kumble 11-5-19-2, H Singh 2-1-1-0, Tendulkar 1-0-1-0.