India soak up NZ pressure
But early wickets on day three hint at Black Caps starting to increase pressure
The class of Virat Kohli and more inclement weather denied New Zealand the opportunity to make the sort of inroads into the India batting line-up they might have expected in bowler-friendly conditions.
When stumps were called on day two of the World Test Championship final, India were 146-3 after 64.4 overs of toil, with their captain on 44 and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane on 29.
But the Black Caps achieved an important breakthrough three overs into day three when Kyle Jamieson removed Kohli leg before without any addition to his overnight score.
India were pinned down in the morning session, scoring just four runs from the first 50 deliveries of day three. Rishabh Pant took 20 balls to get off the mark, but two balls after hitting the day’s first boundary, he was caught by Tom Latham at second slip off the bowling of Jamieson and India were 156-5.
No play was possible on day one at Southampton, and with more rain forecast in the following days, the odds on a draw and a shared trophy are shortening.
It was an impressive display by India’s veteran right handers, who came together at 88 after New Zealand made three breakthroughs in relatively quick succession.
When poor light and eventually more rain combined to cut day two short by 33 scheduled overs, it only added to the Black Caps’ frustrations. Things couldn’t have gone much better for Kane Williamson in the morning — until the cricket started.
Under leaden skies and with the floodlights illuminating the Ageas Bowl, Williamson won the toss and had no hesitation in unleashing his all-seam attack on an Indian line-up more comfortable in hotter climates.
As expected, spinner Ajaz Patel was left out, along with Will Young, Tom Blundell and Matt Henry — four who played a huge role in New Zealand’s win against England a week earlier. Instead, Williamson and coach Gary Stead went with the players who have done it time and time again for their country.
With the brand new Dukes ball promising to swing prodigiously, it was all set up perfectly — then New Zealand’s most experienced bowlers laid an egg for most of the first hour.
Tim Southee went past the edge a few times and Trent Boult occasionally threatened to straighten one into the pads but the bad balls outnumbered the good.
Openers Rohit Sharma and the inexperienced Shubman Gill were offered enough gifts to keep the scoreboard ticking, while the latter was comfortable enough to advance down the wicket to the seamers. It was this tactic that almost cost him his wicket — and his health — when Jamieson got one to rise off a length and smash into his helmet.
It was Jamieson who turned things around for his team. He was head and shoulders above his more experienced teammates in the first session.
He eventually drew Sharma (34) forward and found the edge of his prodding bat. Southee had not done a lot to enhance his bowling stats in the morning but his reputation as the best fielding fast bowler in world cricket grew when he took a stunning catch low to his right at third slip.
Given Jamieson’s effectiveness, it was surprising to see Williamson remove him from the attack, but the wisdom of that decision was rewarded when Neil Wagner kissed the edge of Gill’s bat with just his third ball and BJ Watling took a regulation catch to dismiss the opener for 28.
Cue Wagner’s vein-popping exhortations and a sense that New Zealand had truly arrived for the fight — albeit 90 minutes late.
India’s most accomplished test batsmen — Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara — took India through to lunch but Boult struck early in the middle session when he straightened one onto Pujara’s pads.