LIVE SCORE | INDIA vs NEW ZEALAND | 1ST TEST | DAY 4


GREEN PARK STADIUM, KANPUR





FULL SCORECARD


 

NEW ZEALAND (2nd innings)

Luke Ronchi has been positive out there and has tried to counter the venomous spin with an aggressive mindset and Santner has showed good application. Still, it will be a herculean task for them to tackle the spinners on the final day with the pitch crumbling away. Earlier in the day, India batted with authority and posted a mammoth target of 434 for New Zealand.
The Indian bowlers have bowled with authority in the final session and have won the final session and the day convincingly. The home side are marching along towards victory! Ashwin shone with the ball as he sent both the openers packing off to the hut and outwitted Kane Williamson with a beauty! It seems like it is just a matter of time before the duo of Ashwin and Jadeja run through the lower middle order and the tail enders.

THAT'S STUMPS ON DAY 4. New Zealand 93 for 4, need 341 runs to win.

21.3 overs: WICKET! BEAUTY IN THE FIELD! Spinning into the batsman, Luke Ronchi flicks it with the turn on the mid-wicket region. The batsman run for a single, then Taylor calls for a second. Umesh Yadav in the deep fields the ball and hurls a throw at the non-striker's end and hits the stumps. The onfield umpire refers it upstairs. The replays show that as Taylor is running towards the danger end, he makes the ground but doesn't slide his bat. The bat is in the air when the bails are disturbed and is adjudged out. That's a schoolboy mistake from Taylor. Kohli is overjoyous with his teammate's effort in the field. Ross Taylor run out 17 (36b 2x4 0x6).

17.5 overs: WICKET! Tossed up outside off, spinning in, Williamson goes back in his crease to work it across the line but gets beaten by the turn and the low bounce. The ball raps him on the pads. The fielding side start appealing immediately and the umpire obliges. Williamson has to make the long walk back. THAT BRINGS THE 200TH TEST WICKET FOR ASHWIN! Second fastest to do so. Kane Williamson lbw b Ashwin 25 (59b 3x4 0x6).

15 overs: New Zealand 33/2. Kane Williamson 21 (49), Ross Taylor 9 (21).

13.4 overs: DROPPED! Ravichandran Ashwin to Kane Williamson, FOUR! EDGED, DROPPED AND RACED AWAY! Tossed up around middle and leg, KW gets down on one knee and sweeps but doesn't time ti well. The ball goes of the top edge high into the air. Yadav at square leg traces back to grab a catch over his head but doesn't manage to hold onto it. The ball then races away to the boundary.

10 overs: New Zealand 15/2. Ross Taylor 4 (15), Kane Williamson 8 (25).

3.5 overs: WICKET!  Tom Latham lbw b Ashwin 2 (15b 0x4 0x6).

3.1 overs: WICKET! ASHWIN CONITUING HIS MAGIC! Tossed up beautifully outside off, Guptill gets down on one knee, looking to slog it but gets an under edge onto the boots and in the air for Vijay at silly point to grab it. Ashwin has started troubling the visitors in his second over itself. Martin Guptill c Murali Vijay b Ravichandran Ashwin 0 (5b 0x4 0x6). 

India would be on top with the target they have set and would hope their bowlers work their magic this time around too. The chase is realistically impossible to get but if the Black Caps succeed, it will be a huge, huge achievement and would be registered in record books.

INDIA (2nd innings)

What a performance by the Indian batsmen. Except the skipper, each and every batsman got a start for themselves. Four of them went on to make their respective half-centuries and contributed for this massive 3rd innings total. New Zealand bowlers never did trouble the Indian batsmen much and let the game slip far from their reach.

Kohli thinks that his team has enough runs on board and declares. INDIA DECLARE ON 377/5 WITH A LEAD OF 433. 

105 overs: India 365/5. Ravindra Jadeja 45 (48), Rohit Sharma 61 (89.

95 overs: India 304/5. Rohit Sharma 37 (63)Ravindra Jadeja 8 (14).

88.5 overs: WICKET! Santner strikes with a peach of a delivery! Tossed up outside off spinning away viciously, Rahane prods forward to defend but gets a thick outside edge because of the overspin on the ball and Taylor dives to his right to grab a superb reflex catch. Ajinkya Rahane c Ross Taylor b Mitchell Santner 40 (81b 4x4 0x6).

85 overs: India 265/4. Ajinkya Rahane 30 (63), Rohit Sharma 16 (35).

The players are out in the middle and it promises to be another thrilling session.

SESSION 2



Now, all eyes will be on Kohli as to when he decides to declare and put the Kiwis to bat. Weather will be an important factor regarding this decision as it's a touch overcast and showers are expected later in the day. It will be interesting to see how the Indian batsmen go about in the post-lunch session. Join us back for that!

THAT's LUNCH: New Zealand spinners bowled well this morning, learning from their yesterday's mistakes by correcting their line and lengths accordingly. Sodhi was the pick of the bowler picking up two priced wickets of the settled Indian pair of Pujara and Vijay. Craig was the other bowler to get a wicket to his name. A session which went in India's favour again in the context of this match. 93 runs added for the loss of 3 wickets. The Indian batsmen played well and have extended their lead to 308. Pujara and Vijay both couldn't convert their overnight fifties into their respective hundreds. Kohli once again fell early going for an expansive shot. India 252/4 in 81 overs.

70.3 overs: WICKET! The bowling change has worked and Cheteshwar Pujara departs after a brilliant knock! Pitched outside leg, Pujara prods forward to defend but gets an outside edge that flies towards Ross Taylor at first slip who is alert and completes a sharp catch. The Kiwi spinners have found their mark and are getting the results! Cheteshwar Pujara c Taylor b Sodhi 78 (152b 10x4 0x6). 

67.3 overs: WICKET! That was loose from the skipper and he pays the price for it! Loopy delivery around off, Kohli kneels down and sweeps it uppishly towards Ish Sodhi at deep mid-wicket who circles under it and pouches it safely! India are three down now. Kohli is disappointed once again as he falls cheaply. Virat Kohli c Ish Sodhi b Mark Craig 18 (40b 3x4 0x6).

65 overs: India 209/2. Virat Kohli 17 (34), Cheteshwar Pujara 71 (136).

60 overs: India 196/2. Virat Kohli 10 (18), Cheteshwar Pujara 65 (122).

56.2 overs: WICKET! Santner strikes with a beautiful delivery! Tossed up around middle and off, spins away a bit as Vijay looks to defend but plays down the wrong line and is rapped low on the pads. The Kiwis appeal in unison and the umpire obliges and rules it out. Santer was probing away and gets the prized wicket of Vijay. That was a brilliant knock of 76 from him! Murali Vijay lbw b Santner 76 (170b 8x4 1x6).

India captain Virat Kohli was seen in the nets practicing some innovative shots this morning. Have a look:





Welcome to Day 4 of the first Test. The pitch is crumbling and resulting in unexpected turn and bounce. Will this match see Day 5?



RECAP

Murali Vijay (64 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara (50 not out) struck half-centuries as India scored 159 for one, taking a hefty lead of 215 against New Zealand on the third day of the first Test match at the Green Park stadium here on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja ran through New Zealand's batting line-up that was bowled out for 262. Resuming the day at 153/1, the visitors were floored by left-armer Jadeja (5/73) and off-spinner Ashwin (4/93).

After taking a 56-run first innings lead, India were further driven by the 107-run unbeaten partnership between Pujara and Vijay in a match that was fairly partial to the spinners.

However, credit needs to be given to the spinners who came back strongly on the third day, after a bad second day's play. Skipper Virat Kohli's decision of starting the day's proceedings with spinners paid off well for the hosts.

Resuming the day from 152 for one, Kiwi batters got off to a bad start as both the Indian spinners created problems for them with their turn and bounce.

The disciplined bowling of Ashwin got him a wicket at the start as he plumbed overnight batsman Tom Latham at 58 while Jadeja struck the new batsman Ross Taylor in the very next over via leg before.

Just when the Kiwi batters seemed at ease at the crease, Ashwin produced another beauty to rip off dangerous Kane Williamson's off stump. New Zealand were now reeling at 170/4 in just eight overs.

The dismissals of Latham (58) and Kane Williamson (70) was crucial as the duo had put up an 135-run stand and was threatening to take the match away.

The Kiwi's middle order -- Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner and B.J. Watling -- somehow tried to hold their innings together but they only managed to score 38, 32 and 21 respectively.

After that there was no looking back for India as Jadeja ran through the visitor's lower order, taking three wickets in an over to wrap up the innings.

Jadeja finished with yet another five-for, while Ashwin scalped four wickets as both the spinners together accounted for nine wickets to give the hosts a 56 run lead in the first innings.

India's openers added 52 before opener Lokesh Rahul's stay was cut short by leg-spinner Ish Sodhi for 38 runs.

The ball glanced off the high part of the bat and Ross Taylor took an outstanding catch at slip to bring the second session to an end.

Then Pujara and Vijay joined hands and a smooth partnership flourished. Their partnership began with a flurry of boundaries and that little spell of play dashed the Kiwi's hopes.

The spinners seemed lost in the middle and confused between which line to bowl or which pace to keep.

At the end of the day, Vijay was unbeaten on 64 with seven fours, while Pujara had stroked eight fours during his stay.

Come Sunday, India will look to increase the lead and set a big target for New Zealand to chase in the fourth innings.