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Gambhir and Laxman ensure draw
NAPIER: Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman struck battling hundreds as India managed to salvage a draw in the second cricket Test against New Zealand and maintain their 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series here on Monday.
Gautam Gambhir (137) showed tremendous application as he batted for nearly 11 hours to rescue his side from a perilous situation. He forged crucial partnerships with Rahul Dravid (62), Sachin Tendulkar (64) and VVS Laxman (124 not out) in the process. Gambhir's fifth Test century was the seventh longest by an Indian, though it was also the lowest score among the top 10 Indian batsmen to have played longer innings.
Resuming on 252 for two, India reached 476 for four when play was called off 70 minutes early. Laxman and Yuvraj Singh (54) provided some entertainment to the motley crowd in the final session - putting on 120 (unbroken) for the fifth wicket off 20.2 overs with 'Very Very Special' Laxman completing his 14th Test century.
India's stand-in captain Virender Sehwag was all praise for Gautam Gambhir following his match- saving monumental effort. "Gambhir is still developing his game. He curbed his aggression and is learning with experience. He has become the second wall of Indian cricket," said Sehwag, at the post-match presentation.
"We didn't bat well in the first innings but we did well in the second, especially Gautam and (VVS) Laxman. Gautam batted for nearly 11 hours and saved the match," Sehwag added.
Sehwag admitted his bowlers had to toil hard in New Zealand's first innings as the track did not give any assistance to them.
"It was a difficult job for the bowlers. The track was flat and except for some bounce, there was nothing in it. I told them to bowl in right areas and see that the batsmen commit mistakes," said Sehwag.
Both the teams now move to Wellington for the series decider at Basin Reserve from April 3. (c) PTI
Brief Scores: New Zealand 619 for 8 (Jesse Ryder 201, Ross Taylor 151, Brendon McCullum 115, Daniel Vettori 55, James Franklin 52) drew with India 305 (Rahul Dravid 83, VVS Laxman 76) and 476 for 4 (Gautam Gambhir 137, VVS Laxman 124*, Sachin Tendulkar 64, Yuvraj Singh 54*)
MOM: Jesse Ryder
Day five highlights:
# New Zealand and India have contested the second drawn game at McLean Park. The first ever Napier Test between India and New Zealand, played in February 1990, was also a drawn game.
# New Zealand have played eight Tests at McLean Park, Napier, losing the two while the remaining six could not produce results.
# India have won five Tests and lost seven in New Zealand out of 20 played in New Zealand.
# For the first time, New Zealand could not register a win in New Zealand after enforcing a follow-on. The previous seven Tests in New Zealand, after enfocing the follow on, were won by New Zealand.
# India (476 for four) registered their first ever total of 400 in the second innings against New Zealand in New Zealand. India, with 305 & 476 for four, have posted 300-plus in each innings of a Test match against New Zealand for the first time.
# Jesse Ryder has been adjudged the Man of the match for the first time in Tests.
# Yuvraj's first fifty against New Zealand is his sixth in Tests.
# Gautam Gambhir has batted for 642 minutes to post 137 off 436 balls in the second innings of the Napier Test. The said knock is the longest Test innings of his career. While scoring a double hundred (his career-best) against Australia at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi last year, he had taken 550 minutes.
# Gambhir's match-saving innings is the longest by an Indian player against New Zealand and the eight longest by any batsman against New Zealand.
# Laxman has performed exceptionally well against New Zealand - 536 in six Tests, including two hundreds and three fifties, at an average of 67.00.
# VVS Laxman (76 & 124 not out), for the first time in his Test career, has posted two innings of seventy five-plus in a Test match against New Zealand.
# Laxman has recorded 14 hundreds in Tests - two against New Zealand.
# VVS Laxman, thanks to his two beautiful knocks, became the second Indian player to aggregate 200 runs in a Test match in New Zealand. Rahul Dravid had made 293 in the 1998-99 Hamilton Test - 190 & 103 not out.
# Laxman's unbeaten innings of 124 off 212 balls is his best ever score against New Zealand, bettering his unbeaten 104 at Mohali in 2003-04.
# Laxman's tally of 200 in the Napier Test, has been exceeded only by West Indian, Chris Gayle, who had recorded 231 (34 & 197) in 2008-09.
# Yuvraj, since making 122 against Pakistan at Karachi in January 2006, has posted his first fifty away from home in 14 innings. |
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Cric Contest Ratings |
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 Tests
ODIs
T-20
Combined |
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First ever Premier Ratings. Who leads whom? A unique formula devised by the criccontest team.  |
| Mohandas Menon |
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