India concluded the second day of the first test in Hamilton at 278-4 as bad lights stopped the play shortly before the scheduled time. Sachin Tendulkar was batting at 70 and Yuvraj Singh gave him company at 8 at the stumps second day.

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir opened the day at 29-0 with their respective scores of 22 and 6. In the third over, Sehwag (24) was run out by James Franklin. Rahul Dravid came out to bat and played a patient innings of 66 runs off 138 deliveries as together with Gambhir he went on to consolidate India’s stand. Gambhir was playing at 72 runs when Chris Martin induced an edge off Gambhir's willow by a reverse swinging delivery for keeper Brendon McCullum to take the catch. His knock included 11 boundaries and together with Rahul Dravid he had accumulated 105 runs for the second wicket stand. The second breakthrough for New Zealand came shortly after lunch which left India at 142-2.

Sachin Tendulkar, freshly back after recovering from a muscle injury, played a superb half-centurion innings that put India in the drivers’ seat.  Rahul Dravid played a poised innings and looked set for a century went forward for a defensive shot but the ball came in sharply nipping off the seam and sneaked through the gap between bat and pad to hit the top of off-stump.

Earlier in the game, New Zealand were all out for 279 in the first innings as Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori saved grace for Kiwis with their splendid tons. The day goes out to the three Indian batsmen – Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar whose laudable half-century knocks have placed India in a comfortable position. Yuvraj Singh had a miserable test run against Australia last year down under. He will certainly like to capitalize this chance to set the record straight and prove his mettle as a capable test batsman outside the Indian subcontinent.

The scores are level at second day stumps and India still have six wickets to play with. The tourists will definitely look forward on maximizing the lead which they will start making tomorrow. With Tendulkar looking in perfect form, more is yet to come.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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