India v New Zealand, First Test

Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

IND: *Gavaskar, Sidhu, Umrigar, Hazare, Azharuddin, Borde, +Engineer, Kapil Dev, Srinath, Venkataraghavan, Bedi.
NZL: Turner, Richardson, Congdon, MD Crowe, *Reid, Burgess, +Parore, Hadlee, Taylor, Bracewell, HJ Howarth.

Debuts: NS Sidhu & CG Borde (IND); MH Richardson (NZL)
Umpires: VK Ramaswamy & PD Reporter

New Zealand's first ATG tour of India got off to the most insipid of starts as a combination of a soft, lifeless pitch and stiflingly accurate Indian bowling allowed just 169 runs to be scored on the first day. John Reid won the toss and batted, but the Kiwis found stroke making almost impossible, and their eventual first innings total of 245 spanned 155 overs and stretched into the second afternoon. With the exception of Crowe, New Zealand's top seven all got starts, but no-one could top skipper Reid's 43 and Mark Burgess laboured for four hours and 230 balls for his 40. India's attack was minus the injured Chandrasekhar, but Venkat and Bedi dominated proceedings, sending down 96 overs between them for 123 runs and a haul of six wickets, and one wondered whether the tourists' attack had it in them to frustrate the home batsmen to the same extent.

India's reply got off to a slow start, and by the end of the second day the hosts were a precarious 80-3, but day three belonged to Sunil Gavaskar as India tightened their grip on the game. 344 runs came on an oppressively hot third day, and only one wicket fell as Gavaskar and Hazare compiled a record breaking fourth wicket partnership. Their stand of 296 was the second highest for the fourth wicket in all of ATG history and India's second highest for any wicket, and New Zealand's bowling looked increasingly toothless on a pitch that was hardening and flattening in the heat. Hazare's contribution was 133, his seventh ATG hundred, but Gavaskar continued remorselessly on, eventually raising the second slowest double century ever after nine hours and 462 balls at the crease, his fourth score in excess of 200 in ATG Tests.

India's innings eventually closed on 547, with Gavaskar last out for a gargantuan, career-best 295. He was dropped twice, on 188 and 230, and was involved in an incredible four run outs during the innings, but his twelve hour, 595 ball opus had given India an impregnable 302 run advantage, and New Zealand now faced the prospect of batting for four and a half sessions to save the game. Turner fell early, but Richardson and Congdon put together an assured century partnership before both fell victim of rash strokes against the spinners shortly before stumps on day four, and the tourists began the final day on 138-3, still 164 runs in arrears.

It was 143-4 when Reid (13) was brilliantly caught at first slip by Gavaskar off Kapil Dev in just the second over of the final day, but a combination of rain and a resolute Martin Crowe now set about frustrating India's quest for victory. Over an hour's play was lost either side of lunch over the course of three separate stoppages, but Crowe maintained his concentration and stroked his way to a composed hundred, and New Zealand had every chance of saving the game whilst he remained at the wicket.

However, with over an hour's play remaining, Crowe was run out for 114 as he attempted a risky second run in order to keep the strike, and at 277-8 New Zealand's brave resistance appeared to be at an end. Taylor fell soon after to make it 288-9, and the Black Caps' last pair would have to bat for 40 minutes to secure the draw. Bracewell and Howarth played positively though, knowing that if they could push their team into the lead then vital time would be wiped off the clock. Engineer crucially squandered the chance to stump Bracewell off Bedi, and with twenty minutes remaining the tenth wicket pair nudged the score past 300 and took New Zealand into the black. Ten nervy minutes later the draw was assured, and Bracewell (25*) and Howarth (13*) left the field as heroes with the bat, if not the ball. New Zealand had got out of jail, but it looks as though this could be a very long series for the men from the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Scores
NZL 1st Inns 245 (Reid 43, Burgess 40; Venkat 4-64)
IND 1st Inns 547 (Gavaskar 295, Hazare 133)
NZL 2nd Inns 322-9 (Crowe 114, Richardson 63, Congdon 41)

MATCH DRAWN

Man of the Match: SM Gavaskar