13 November,2010 08:58 AM IST | | AFP
Opener Tim McIntosh struck a fine 102 to steer New Zealand to 258-4 on the first day of the second Test against India yesterday. McIntosh added 147 runs with Martin Guptill (85) for the second wicket and 55 for the third with Ross Taylor (24) to steady the New Zealand boat after the early dismissal of opener Brendon McCullum.
Guptill provided the early momentum to the innings with his aggressive shots and brought up his fourth Test half-century with a nicely cut four off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.
Tough luck
He looked set for a bigger score but fell leg before wicket to Ojha shortly before tea while trying to work the ball towards the square-leg region.
"After losing the early wicket, we kept backing ourselves," said Guptill of his partnership with McIntosh. "We knew we would have to be patient and our partnership showed that we got it right.
"We will be looking for a total around 500 so that we can put pressure on the Indians." Guptill, ignored for the Ahmedabad Test, was given out by on-field Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena after he was caught behind the stumps in Sreesanth's fourth over. But Dharmasena consulted with TV umpire Amiesh Saheba, who ruled the delivery to be a no-ball, and Guptill was called back.
Lucky Guptill grew in confidence and twice drove Sreesanth for fours in the same over before lofting Harbhajan over the long-on boundary for a six.
