India reach 205 for two at tea

Nagpur, Nov 21 (PTI) India's Virender Sehwag's audacious
batting complemented by Gautam Gambhir's patient approach as
the duo shared 113 for the opening wicket to take India to 205
for two at tea on the second day of the third cricket Test
against New Zealand here Sunday.
India now have taken a 12-run first innings lead after
bundling New Zealand out for a modest 193 at the VCA Stadium,
at Jamtha in the west Indian state of Maharashtra here.
Both Sehwag and Gambhir got out while playing loose shots
after they looked well-set for a century each.
While Sehwag scored 74 off only 73 deliveries with the
help of 12 fours and a six, Gambhir made a patient 78 with
the help of 12 boundaries.
At the tea break, Rahul Dravid looked solid batting on 35
while Sachin Tendulkar was on six with help of a beautiful
cover drive.
It was again Sehwag who provided the momentum to the
Indian reply as he sent the New Zealand bowlers on a leather
hunt, blasting his way to 26th Test half century.
When Sehwag plays his natural game, the margin of error
is very less for the opposition bowlers and the Black Caps'
bowlers had to suffer.
He started off punching Tim Southee through the vacant
cover region for a boundary. Chris Martin, who has troubled
the Indian batsmen with some incisive spells, was then pulled
twice to the mid-wicket region for a couple of boundaries.
Whenever the New Zealand pacers Martin, Southee or
debutant Andy McKay tried to add an extra yard of pace, they
were guided over the slips through the vacant third man region
with minimum fuss by Sehwag.
When Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori came into bowl, the
'Nawab of Najafgarh' danced down the track to clear the
long-on ropes. Sehwag, who completed his half century off 50
deliveries, also played quite a few delightful late cuts off
the spinner.
With loose hands, he would just steer the ball in the
vacant region between the keeper and the first slip.
Vettori finally got his revenge when Sehwag could not
check his drive and gave the New Zealand captain a simple
return catch.
At the other end, Gambhir, who had grown in confidence
watching Sehwag bat, also clipped Southee to square leg for
successive boundaries. He also hit a lovely cover drive off
McKay who did trouble the southpaw as he brought a few back
into the batsman.
After Sehwag's departure, Gambhir looked even more
fluent with his drives while Dravid quietly settled down.
Gambhir completed his 13th Test half century hitting Vettori
over deep mid-wicket for a boundary.
Just when he looked like getting set for his 10th Test
century, he needlessly flashed a Southee delivery to be
caught by Ross Taylor at gully ending a fruitful 79-run second
wicket stand with Dravid