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AHMEDABAD (India), Oct 9: Rahul Dravid cracked a career-best 222 before fast bowler Zaheer Khan rocked New Zealand with three quick wickets to put India in command of the first Test on Thursday.
The 30-year-old Dravid displayed his mastery on a slow pitch, becoming only the second Indian batsman to score three Test double hundreds, after the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, and setting up his side’s huge total of 500 for five declared.
Captain Saurav Ganguly piled on the agony for the hapless Kiwi bowlers on a slow pitch to make 100 not out, his 10th Test hundred, before declaring midway through the final session on the second day.
Left-armer Zaheer then rocked New Zealand’s top order as the batsmen braced more for spin, snapping up three wickets for eight runs in 13 deliveries to leave the tourists tottering at 41 for three.
He first forced Mark Richardson (6) to play on a delivery that nipped back sharply and then made fellow opener Lou Vincent (7) edge a slanted delivery behind the stumps.
Captain Stephen Fleming, who shone with a career-best 274 not out to draw a two-Test series in Sri Lanka in April, was bowled for one run shaping to leave a ball that nipped back.
India, who struggled for runs during a 2-0 series defeat on seaming New Zealand pitches last year, were suddenly transformed as runs came in a torrent.
Dravid, unbeaten on 110 overnight, dominated both pace and spin before surpassing his previous best Test score of 217 made against England at The Oval last year.
He shared in two major partnerships, adding 130 runs with Vangipurappu Laxman for the fourth wicket before raising a record 180 for the fifth with left-hander Ganguly.
His chanceless innings ended in the first over after tea, when he edged seamer Jacob Oram to wicket-keeper Robbie Hart, having hit him for two fours earlier in the over.
Dravid’s 387-ball innings contained 28 fours and a six, lofted over midwicket against Vettori.
Ganguly, who overcame a painful boil on his thigh, initially looked tentative but cut loose to add 54 runs from 10 overs with Parthiv Patel (29 not out) before declaring after sweeping Wiseman for a single to reach his century.
Scoreboard
INDIA (1st Innings, overnight 249-3):
A. Chopra c and b Vettori 42
V. Sehwag lbw b Tuffey 29
R.S. Dravid c Hart b Oram 222
S.R. Tendulkar c Astle b Styris 8
V.V.S. Laxman c Wiseman b Vettori 64
S.C. Ganguly not out 100
P.A. Patel not out 29
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-3, NB-1) 6
TOTAL (for five decl, 159 overs) 500
FALL OF WKTS: 1-35, 2-107, 3-134, 4-264, 5-446.
DID NOT BAT: Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, A.R. Kumble, L. Balaji.
BOWLING: Tuffey 31-6-103-1; Oram 33-8-95-1 (1nb); Styris 26-5-83-1; Vettori 44-9-128-2; McMillan 4-1-6-0; Wiseman 21-0-80-0.
NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings):
M.H. Richardson b Zaheer 6
L. Vincent c Patel b Zaheer 7
S.P. Fleming b Zaheer 1
S.B. Styris not out 10
N.J. Astle not out 13
EXTRAS (LB-3, NB-1) 4
TOTAL (for three wkts, 19 overs) 41
FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-16, 3-17.
TO BAT: C.D. McMillan, R.G. Hart, J.D.P. Oram, D.L. Vettori, P.J. Wiseman, D.R. Tuffey.
BOWLING (to-date): Zaheer Khan 7-1-16-3 (1nb); Balaji 5-2-9-0; Kumble 5-2-10-0; Harbhajan Singh 2-0-3-0.—Reuters
