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Kolkata Test: Bhuvneshwar Kumar's five-for rattles New Zealand on Day 2

Kolkata, Oct 1: Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed his fourth five-wicket-haul in Tests to help India reduce New Zealand to 128/7 on second day of the second Test match here on Saturday (Oct 1).

Match Scorecard; Photo gallery; Day 1 report

Poor lights forced the match to be stopped on the second consecutive day after rain interrupted the play as India put themselves in commanding position in the penultimate Test. Kiwis now trail by 188 runs with 3 wickets still in their hands.

Kolkata Test: Bhuvneshwar's five-for rattles New Zealand on day 2

Bhuvneshwar picked up five New Zealand wickets for 33 runs in 10 overs on a lively Kolkata pitch as he ran through the Kiwi top order. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja and Pacer Mohammad Shami took one wicket apiece.

Earlier, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave early blows to the visitors and pushed them on the backfoot immediately after India came to bowl.

(Kohli disappoints underprivileged kids)

Taylor and Luke Ronchi (35) put up a brave 62-run-partnership to steer visitors out of initial jolts given by Indian bowlers.

Coming out to bat, Kiwis lost both their openers i.e. Tom Latham (1) and Martin Guptill (13) in first three overs. Latham was plumbed by Mohammed Shami in his first over while Guptill was bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the very next over.

Immediately after lunch break, Kumar removed Henry Nicholls for 1 to reduce visitors to 23/3 and put India at the top. The visitors lost their fourth wicket in Luke Ronchi in 25th over who was trapped in Ravindra Jadeja's spin.

New Zealand batsman against India

The visitors put up an impressive bowling performance to restrict hosts at 316 in the first innings.

Continuing the day's play from the overnight score of 239 for the loss of seven, India's tailenders went on piling 316 runs. New Zealand bowlers scalped the remaining four wickets as India managed to add 75 more runs to their overnight total. Thus, putting up a competitive total on this pitch.

India's innings was wrapped up after Mohammed Shami was caught in the deep at 14. Wriddhiman Saha remained unbeaten at 54 who scored his second Test half century. He was also the third highest scorer for the side in the first innings after Cheteshwar Pujara's 87 and Ajinkya Rahane's 77.

Saha remained unbeaten on 54 (85b, 4x7, 6x2) as the hosts recovered from an early jolt on day one to put up a par total on a trying wicket.

The local boy looked in fine touch from the outset caressing the second ball of the day through covers for four elegantly. The diminutive stumper never looked back taking the Kiwi attack to the cleaners.

Preferring the off-side, Saha hit seven fours and two sixes en route to his half-century which he scored in 109 minutes.

Bhuvneshwar removes Taylor, New Zealand 104/5

In the fear of running out of partners, Saha upped the ante as soon as the other overnight batsman Ravindra Jadeja fell for 14.

The flamboyant Jadeja hit the first six of the match but was soon caught in the rivals' web. The southpaw ignored the two fielders on the leg side to tonk Mitchell Santner over deep mid-wicket. But his stay at the crease was short-lived as in the next over the Saurashtra allrounder took on a short ball hooking it straight to long leg.

For the visitors, pacer Matt Henry (3/46) and off-spinner Jeetan Patel (2/66) were the wicket-takers along with Trent Boult (2/46) and Neil Wagner (2/57).

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agencies)

Story first published: Thursday, August 3, 2017, 7:36 [IST]
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