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Ryder’s double piles more misery on India

S. Ram Mahesh

McCullum joins the party with 115; India loses three quick wickets

— Photo: AFP

Prize scalp: The wicket of Virender Sehwag, who aimed a mighty slog after depositing the previous Daniel Vettori delivery over long-on, has the Kiwis celebrating.

NAPIER: It was another day of hard ‘yakka’ for India’s bowlers in the second Test here at McLean Park. New Zealand declared its first innings on a mammoth 619 for nine, thanks on Friday to Jesse Ryder’s 201 and Brendon McCullum’s 115, efforts of differing styles, but similar in how straightforward batting looked when they were at the crease.

Then, as it so often happens after one side makes capital of splendid batting conditions, India lost quick wickets late on day two. Virender Sehwag might have justly eyed a third triple-hundred, but not even he could have motored to it by Friday evening, which seemed the plan.

After depositing Daniel Vettori over wide long-on, he aimed a mighty slog at the next delivery, which, cunningly, was tossed higher, with more over-spin, and wider. The feather-light edge was gloved by McCullum.

Gautam Gambhir’s footwork for once fell short of its usual high standards, although to be fair to Jeetan Patel, the off-break did beat the left-hander in flight. Gambhir could neither lever it over mid-on nor keep it to ground, and the resulting dismissal looked ugly.

Night-watchman Ishant Sharma was always in danger of playing outside a flatter, faster one from Vettori. To no one’s surprise, India lost Ishant leg-before before finishing on 79 for three.

Vettori had not merely made 55 earlier in the day, he had also played a part in every Indian wicket to fall.

For the first 40 or so minutes on Friday morning, Zaheer Khan, in between other things, tried trapping Ryder (overnight 137) on the flick off the hip with back-of-a-length deliveries into the left-hander, a leg-gully at the ready. But Ryder, apart from lifting one slightly in that direction, showed good control of mind and body.

James Franklin looked in far surer touch than he had on Thursday evening, and New Zealand’s progress was steady.

Both Ishant and Zaheer were able to gain some cut from the strip, for the second new ball’s seam had yet to flatten, and it wasn’t till after the first drinks break that Ryder went down on bent knee to thump Ishant through cover.

Harbhajan bowled a lovely little spell to lunch, getting the ball to curve into the left-hander from around the wicket before breaking moderately away. It was the control the off-spinner exercised that brought the wicket.

Ryder pushed gently to cover, setting off immediately in a bid to ease the pressure.

Franklin responded late — Harbhajan’s accuracy had lulled him into not backing up, and the late start further hindered his attempt to make the crease. Yuvraj Singh side-armed a throw, which Dinesh Karthik took well on the half-volley to break the stumps. Franklin, in getting to 52, had done his job, however.

Quick-silver

McCullum at the crease resembles mercury on porcelain, for his movement is quick-silver. At times, it can cost him, as it did in the first innings in Hamilton when he advanced too far down the track to Munaf Patel.

But mostly it gets him in fine position to play: deep in the crease so he can square- and back-cut, and tickle around the corner; far enough forward so he can drive in his typical nimble-handed style.

Ryder brought up his double-hundred by swivelling swiftly to hook Zaheer for four, but he grated the next ball onto his stumps trying to drive. He was in a blue fit, smashing the ground with his bat before throwing the offending instrument a fair distance in the dressing room.

The moment, although a smidge unbecoming, showed why the 24-year-old left-hander has the potential to make at least 20 Test hundreds, several of them big ones.

Ryder has the patience, the concentration, and the stamina needed. His ability to access easy power, finding the boundary off a variety of lines and lengths, takes little out of him and advances his score rapidly.

His control of bat is exceptional. Not only is there no wasted movement in his heavy-hit punches, he holds the stroke magnificently to find vacant spaces. But most of all, Ryder has a hunger for runs, and while it appears a base quality, not as lofty as his immense physical talent, its importance can’t be under-stated.

It was this deep abiding desire that provoked so severe a reaction. McCullum continued on his merry way with his captain for capable company. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored at over 80 runs per 100 balls during his stay, his handling of Harbhajan particularly impressive.

Zaheer and Ishant finished with three wickets apiece for their labours; although not at their best, they did the hard yards, and will bowl worse for better returns.

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand — 1st innings: T. McIntosh c Karthik b Ishant 12 (27b, 2x4); M. Guptill c Sehwag b Zaheer 8 (21b, 1x4); J. How b Zaheer 1 (11b); R. Taylor c Yuvraj b Harbhajan 151 (204b, 26x4, 1x6); J. Ryder b Zaheer 201 (328, 24x4, 1x6); J. Franklin (run out) 52 (122b, 7x4); B. McCullum c Tendulkar b Ishant 115 (140b, 13x4); D. Vettori b Ishant 55 (72b, 6x4); J. Patel c Ishant b Harbhajan 1 (14b); I. O’Brien (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (b-7, lb-8, nb-7) 22; Total (for nine wickets decl. in 154.4 overs): 619.

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (McIntosh), 2-22 (How), 3-23 (Guptill), 4-294 (Taylor), 5-415 (Franklin), 6-477 (Ryder), 7-605 (Vettori), 8-618 (McCullum), 9-619 (J. Patel).

India bowling: Zaheer 34-6-129-3, Ishant 27-5-95-3, Munaf 28-3-128-0, Harbhajan 41.4-7-120-2, Sehwag 12-0-73-0, Yuvraj 12-0-59-0.

India — 1st innings: G. Gambhir c Vettori b J. Patel 16 (53b, 1x4); V. Sehwag c McCullum b Vettori 34 (25b, 5x4, 1x6); R. Dravid (batting) 21 (41b, 2x4); Ishant lbw b Vettori 0 (13b); S. Tendulkar (batting) 0 (7b); Extras (lb-7, nb-1) 8; Total (for three wickets in 23 overs) 79.

Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Sehwag), 2-73 (Gambhir), 3-78 (Ishant).

New Zealand bowling: Martin 6-1-26-0, Franklin 5-1-15-0, Vettori 5-1-16-2, O’Brien 3-2-9-0, Patel 4-1-6-1.

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