India is playing this ODI after a long break. It must be refreshing for them. Dravid is back in the team and I am feeling refreshed myself. Sehwag is not in the team and Ghambhir is injured, but who cares there’s tendy and dravid in the team. We will have to see how India had their break and how they will perform.

NewZealand on the other hand are in do or die situation after having lost the 1st ODI. This tri-angular series is a very short one where each team plays with the other team only once, which means only two match perside, and if you loose one then to stay alive you have to win the other. If India wins this then they will play SL in the final.

Set a near impossible target of 617, the hosts were struggling at 167 for four before bad light brought an early end of the fourth day’s play.

The Indians first declared their second innings at 434 for 7 in the morning session by adding 85 quick runs to their overnight tally and then had the Kiwis on the mat to put themselves on the threshold of a 2-0 series triumph.

With one more day left, the Kiwis have to bat out three more sessions to save the game on a Basin Reserve pitch which has not shown any signs of drastic deterioration.

The left-handed Gambhir notched up his sixth Test century, his second successive one in the series, to power the visitors to a commanding 349 for 5 in their second innings when play was called off a little early because of bad light on the third day.

Rahul Dravid (60) and VVS Laxman (61) were the other notable performers as India took complete control of the match with yet another solid batting display.

Yuvraj Singh (15) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (16) were at the crease at stumps on Day Three.

With two days left in the game, India are the clear favourites to clinch the series 2-0 and record their first Test series triumph on New Zealand soil in 41 years

Source: India Times

Zaheer capitalised on the bounce at the Basin Reserve track to return with impressive figures of five for 65, his seventh fiver, as the hosts folded up their first innings for a paltry 197 in reply to India’s 379.

The Indians were 51 for 1 in their second essay at close of second day to have an overall lead of 233 runs, with Gautam Gambhir (28) and Rahul Dravid (9) at the crease.

It was a disciplined bowling performance by the tourists who kept the pressure for most part of the Kiwi innings with a tidy line and length. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the other successful bowler with three for 43 while pacemen Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel chipped in with a wicket apiece

Source: India Times

Put into bat, the Indians adopted an aggressive approach right through the innings to score at a run rate of 4.16 per over on a Basin Reserve pitch to leave the series decider interestingly poised at the end of day one.

The visitors were struggling at 204 for six at one stage but staged a brilliant recovery through a crucial 79-run partnership between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (52) and Harbhajan Singh (60) for the seventh wicket

Vettori will be having enough plans to wil the match and draw series.

Having established a 1-0 lead at Seddon Park, they need to only draw the third and final Test here to achieve a historic series triumph, last accomplished by Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi’s team in 1967-68.

We hope for the best, give a big hand to both the teams….

Playing sans regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who sat out with a back injury, India removed three top order Kiwi batsmen inside 11 overs before a 271-run stand between Taylor (151) and Ryder (137 not out) guided the hosts to a healthy 351 for four at the close of first day’s play.

Ryder and James Franklin (26) will return on Friday to push further New Zealand’s tally and justify Daniel Vettori’s decision to bat first.

Indians played well in the first innings, Sachin played amazing innings after a long time. We want to see the same thing in the second test aswell. New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori wants give a big fight to level the series.

Give a big hand to both the teams.

At stumps New Zealand were 75/3, 166 runs short of wiping out an imposing 241-run deficit after India posted 520 in their first innings.

New Zealand made the worst possible start to the run chase when Tim McIntosh was given out three balls into the innings, caught at first slip by Tendulkar, in a questionable decision.

India (IND) vs New Zealand (NZ) , 1st Test, Hamilton, 4th day, Free Live Cricket Streaming
India (IND) vs New Zealand (NZ) , 1st Test, Hamilton, 4th day, Free Live Cricket Streaming
India (IND) vs New Zealand (NZ) , 1st Test, Hamilton, 4th day, Free Live Cricket Streaming
India (IND) vs New Zealand (NZ) , 1st Test, Hamilton, 4th day, Free Live Cricket Streaming
India (IND) vs New Zealand (NZ) , 1st Test, Hamilton, 4th day, Free Live Cricket Streaming

India were poised to set a substantial first innings lead over New Zealand when they ended the second day of the first Test on Thursday one run behind and with six wickets in hand.

Steady batting by India, restricted by New Zealand’s defensive approach and their own reluctance to take risks, led them to 278 for four at the close when bad light ended play six overs early.

With Sachin Tendulkar unbeaten on 70 and Yuvraj Singh on eight, and strong batting to follow, the way was clear for India to dominate the Test.