India floundered after a breezy start to put themselves in deep trouble on the opening day of the third and final cricket Test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve here today.
India floundered after a breezy start to put themselves in deep trouble on the opening day of the third and final cricket Test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve here today.
After racing to 68 for no loss in the first hour of play, the tourists were struggling at 190 for five at tea after being put into bat.
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Rahul Dravid (batting 31) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (6 batting) were at the crease to keep Indian hopes alive of scoring their first series win against the Kiwis in 41 years.
Sachin Tendulkar made a classy 62 to take his aggregate to 335 runs from four innings, but as in both innings at Napier, he wafted his willow at a distant delivery from Chris Martin to be caught behind the wicket by Brendon McCullum. A wee bit later, Laxman committed the same mistake, chasing Tim Southee to Tim McIntosh at second slip.
Interestingly like Tendulkar, Laxman has succumbed to catches in the slip cordon in all three innings that he has been dismissed in this series. Yuvraj Singh fell for nine LBW to Jesse Ryder though the television replays indicated the ball could have just missed the off-stump.
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