* India still need 173 for win
* Sehwag and Gambhir add 77 for opening wicket
(updates at lunch)
BANGALORE, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Openers Virender Sehwag and
Gautam Gambhir fell in quick succession after they had given
India a flying start in their pursuit of the 261 runs required
to secure a sweep of the two-test series against New Zealand on
Monday.
At lunch on the fourth day, the hosts had reached 88 for
two, still needing 173 runs for victory, with Cheteshwar Pujara
(10) and Sachin Tendulkar (0) at the crease.
Sehwag (38) and Gambhir (34) started India’s second innings
with great purpose, gleefully swatting the New Zealand pacemen
around the ground to bring up a 50 partnership in just eight
overs.
The duo added 77 for the opening wicket before Sehwag, who
hit seven boundaries and a six, was bowled by Jeetan Patel when
he danced down the wicket to the off-spinner but swiped inside
the line of the ball, which went on to hit his off stump.
New Zealand captain Ross Taylor was forced to introduce his
spinner in the 12th over after the quick bowlers had made no
impact, and the move immediately bore fruit.
Sehwag greeted Patel with a six over long-off and hit
another four before he fell trying to repeat the shot.
Left-hander Gambhir looked in fine touch and hit some
expansive drives for seven boundaries before he edged left-arm
seamer Trent Boult to Taylor at first slip.
Pujara and Tendulkar survived some anxious moments before
lunch to avert any further damage.
Earlier, India needed little time to wrap up New Zealand’s
second innings, taking the final wicket in the fifth over of the
day to dismiss the visitors for 248.
New Zealand’s final pair of Patel (22) and Boult (unbeaten
on four) added a crucial 26 runs for the 10th wicket to take the
lead past the 250-run mark.
Resuming on their overnight score of 232-9, Patel was given
caught behind off paceman Zaheer Khan but he was clearly unhappy
with the decision and television replays suggested he had missed
the ball completely.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin finished with figures of
5-69 to register his third five-wicket haul in the last four
innings against New Zealand, who trail the two-test series 1-0.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by John
O’Brien)
