Ross Taylor wasn't at his fluent best at McLean Park but, on a day when almost everything went his way, he didn't need to be. He swished, flashed and edged but luck was on his side and he was dropped twice. He eventually battled his way to a third Test century to give New Zealand some much-needed oomph. Riding shotgun at first before stepping into the driver's seat was Jesse Ryder, with his second century of the series, and New Zealand finished what had started as a disastrous day in a dominant position.
There were significant moments right from the start of this Test. For starters, Virender Sehwag walked out to toss instead of MS Dhoni, who was ruled out with a sore back. Then Daniel Vettori won the toss and chose to bat on a pitch that was a source of discussion because of a supposed fungal infection on the surface, and one he described as not having a consistent grass cover. That was followed by an almost typical New Zealand start with three wickets falling for just 23.
At that stage it appeared Vettori's call for his batsmen to play out at least 120 overs had fallen on deaf ears, but a record fourth-wicket partnership for New Zealand that followed vindicated his decision to bat. Taylor and Ryder put on an excellent rearguard effort and reached significant centuries.
