That late flourish enlivened proceedings after New Zealand had established something of a tourniquet after tea. With Vettori accurate and Jesse Ryder wheeling away for five maidens with his medium pace, Tendulkar and VVS Laxman were becalmed. The scoring rate for the partnership was two an over, and there were some streaky strokes, inside egdes and a Laxman pull that just evaded O'Brien at deep square leg. When the new ball was taken, India were still 41 behind and New Zealand struck immediately, with Martin finding the edge to first slip.
Yuvraj Singh survived a few alarms, playing one superb cover-drive off the disappointing Kyle Mills, and with Tendulkar raising the tempo, the new ball didn't do the damage that New Zealand would have wished for. It had been much the same story in the morning after Sehwag's departure, though the dismissals of Gambhir and Dravid after lunch did redress the balance somewhat.
Play started 15 minutes late because of overnight rain and there was moisture around to interest the seamers. But the breakthrough New Zealand sought arrived courtesy some poor cricket from the Indians. Gambhir played Mills into the covers and set off for two. But with James Franklin making good ground and hitting the stumps direct, Sehwag was well short of his ground. He had made 24 from 21 balls and his body language betrayed his disgust as he walked off.
Gambhir took his mind off the fiasco with a neat clip through midwicket off Mills as New Zealand sought to keep the runs down and build up some pressure. It didn't happen. Dravid has been a hesitant starter in recent times, but a glance for four off Martin and a lovely cut off Mills allowed him to play himself in.
