One of the greatest match in New Zealand’s history. The 300-run barrier was broken and host of other records surpassed. More than that, New Zealand surpassed all expectations being tagged as ‘underdogs’ to outclass India in all departments in both formats of the game.
MS Dhoni says he wasn’t happy with the performance in ODIs as they missed crucial opportunities but says he knew the Tests was going to be tough touring with an inexperienced side. Dhoni congratulates Brendon McCullum for the spectacular performance.
Brendon McCullum: It has been a great summer for us. We came through nicely, our performance in the last few months has only improved. We still got plenty of work to do we are getting there. The emergence of some young guys has been a revelation. We need to keep getting better. Innour conditions we are a strong team, hope we do well away.
One of the memorable Tests has ended in draw. Brendon McCullum rewrote history books in his splendid triple ton lasting for well over 700 minutes. Records will show it’s a draw but New Zealand have gained a moral victory by pushing India into the corner once again. New Zealand win the series 1-0 and have a break for few weeks before they depart for the World T20 in Bangladesh.
Third Test ton away from home and sixth overall for Virat Kohli. Showed his class in this innings with pure timing and elegant drives. And the pull shots as well. He has made the most of this match heading towards a draw now. Not to forget he survived a caught behind appeal early on after clearly getting an edge. Hits two straight drives to the left of long-on and completed his ton.
Timing in batting is about “when” and “where” on the sweet part of the bat,”where happens if “when is right,same as life )) #Kohli
It’s now a battle between Kohli and the New Zealand bowlers. He is on to 92 now. Has managed to sneak runs even when a field has been set for him. Once the ton is complete is just a matter of time when a draw is in sight for both teams.
Kohli looking pretty confident and set for a century, but more significantly Rohit looks settled as well playing some delicate shots. In 10 overs time the umpires will ask the fielding captain whether he still wants to have a go at it or settle for a draw. Things look much stable for India now.
Kohli is keen on grabbing a few credits towards the end. The Kiwis have sprayed short balls on him and he has taken it on every time to hit it on the leg-side with complete ease.
India still not in the safe zone. Rohit Sharma is somehow managing to survive whereas Kohli having a few close moments. Kohli has also completed his 10th Test half-century.
It’s Tea on Day Five. Nervous moments losing three wickets in the session. Rohit Sharma survives and India will have to be cautious for at least the first hour after tea to avoid any chances of going down in this match.
Kohli going strong with confident shots but Rohit on the other end is barely managing against Southee and Wagner. He was almost bowled trying to leave a delivery coming in to him. In the 28th over, Rohit hits a fluent drive for a boundary.
The pace and bounce does the trick for Southee. Pujara tries to defend one which was moving towards the leg and tried to move away at the last movement. He couldn’t get his gloves out of the way in time and was caught behind by Watling. Third down and India’s nervous moments continue. Watling now has a record of most catches in a two-match Test series. Only Kaman Akmal has achieved such a feat.
OUT! Pujara 17(50)
Maiden over from Neil Wagner. Kohli is stranded on 27 since a few overs now. The atmosphere has suddenly calmed down after the McCullum carnival. India still have to survive a few more overs to think of a draw. Meanwhile the umpires are calling for a replacement of delivery, this has been a frequent issue all through the Test. In fact the fourth umpire has kept the box of balls near the boundary line itself!
Kohli adds to Boult’s frustration. Times a full length ball over covers for a boundary and then smacks one past mid-wicket for another four.
Virat Kohli gets away thanks to Umpire Steve Davis! Trent Boult gets Kohli to edge and is caught behind. Boult and the rest of them celebrate only to see Davis not raising his finger. Not often you get away with such decisions. Kohli was disappointed after committing that mistake and even he is surprised he wasn’t given out. Boult is furious.
India slide post lunch. Dhawan gets a tough leg-before decision, dismissed by Trent Boult. The ball was passing well above the stumps. In the next over, Southee gets the Vijay to edge and is caught in the slips.
OUTY! Dhawan 2(10), Vijay 7(22)
It’s Lunch on Day 5. The openers have survived some nervous moments to remain unbeaten. The overcast conditions are still assisting the pacers and India will have to be watchful in the second session before going out for a draw.
This is no Ishant joke, it’s just one big statistical co-incidence!
STAT ALERT! Ishant Sharma has picked up his BEST EVER Test figures (6/51) and his WORST EVER Test figures (0/164), in the same match!
One more record crushed. This is New Zealand’s highest Test score eclipsing 671/4 against Sri Lanka in 1991 at the same venue. It was also the Test. And New Zealand have declared. when did this innings start? (Post Lunch on Day Three). Just for the record, India need 434 runs to win this.
Neesham continues to clobber while the rest of the cricketing world comes back to its senses after that historic moment from McCullum. The lead is past 400 and looks a good time to put India in.
A five-wicket haul for Zaheer. Southee tries to slog and the ball goes high up in the air, Pujara takes a well-judged catch in front of backward point. This is the first time in his Test career that Zaheer has bowled 50 overs in an innings.
OUT! Southee 11(9)
There are many reasons to celebrate about a new record, and Russell Arnold has his own reason to celebrate!
Yeah… SL knocked off the top of the list for Highest scores by NZ batsmen !!!
Joy and sorrow in the same over for New Zealand. McCullum gets to his triple ton to become the first New Zealand player to achieve the feat. There was a touch width offered by Zaheer and McCullum cuts it point and gully for a boundary off Zaheer and the Basin Reserve erupts in joy. A ball later the concentration falls apart and McCullum is caught behind. Read more about McCullum’s heroic innings here.
OUT! McCullum 302(559)
Neesham gallops to a debut Test ton. He is the 10th New Zealand player to score a century and only the third to score a ton on Test debut batting at No 8. Gets to his hundred with a couple on the leg-side.
Even Mpumelelo Mbangwa is awake!
Would you get it already, I need to sleep!! #McCullum300
McCullum pulls one from Zaheer past mid-wicket to move into the 290s. In the next over McCullum survives! It was on good length from Ishant and he edges it to Dhoni; the ball lands just inches ahead of Dhoni. The entire stadium heaves a sigh of relief. This is the fifth time New Zealand have scored over 600 and three of those have come against India.
The entire Wellington seems to have dropped in at Basin Reserve to watch a historic moment. Spectators queuing up to enter the stadium
The cheers grow louder as McCullum flicks a delivery from Ishant for a boundary. He has moved on to 289, just 11 short of that triple ton.
The body language of Indian players is not too encouraging. While the spectators have come to watch McCullum, Neesham is well on his way to his ton on Test debut. Scores the first boundary of the day with a lofted shot over mid-on off Ishant’s bowling and then hits a straight drive off Zaheer.
Tidy first over from Zaheer Khan. The spectators are flowing in, in anticipation of a historic moment in Zealand cricket. McCullum is calm and leaves a few deliveries and then defends some right from the middle of his bat. Maiden over from Zaheer.
Welcome to CricketCountry’s live updates of the final day of the second Test between New Zealand and India at Wellington. I am Abhijit Banare and I will be bringing you the live updates. Day Four has by far been the most dramatic one in this short series. It had a mix of Dhoni’s defensive captaincy, frustration of the bowlers and a mix of brilliance and greatness by Brendon McCullum along with the 352-run stand with BJ Watling. With 325 ahead, the Kiwis are still in no mood to give up as they have an opportunity to bat India out of the game. To get a glimpse of all the record that transpired on the fourth day click here. They effectively started at six for five wickets but McCullum was just batting for eternity. He was batted for well over 700 minutes now. Records tumbled on Day Four, here’s a statistical review of the day.
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