India look optimistic at day three stumps as they keep a lead of 531 runs with another five wickets to play. The day concluded with India still batting at 349-5 in the second innings of the third and final test match in Basin Reserve on Sunday. The game ended early because of bad lights while skipper MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh were batting at 16 and 15 respectively.  

Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman fell prey to the new ball in quick succession shortly before the stumps. That left India at 319-5. Iain O’Brien claimed both the wickets. He lean bowled Laxman with a sharp incoming delivery that went through the gap to rattle Laxman's off-stump. Laxman hit 9 fours in his 61-run knock. In his previous over, O'Brien ended Gambhir's fantastic innings by trapping him plumb in front of the wicket.

Gambhir played a marvelous knock of 167 which comprised of 16 boundaries and 2 sixes. Gambhir and Laxman together added 106 for the fourth wicket. New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori dismissed Sachin Tendulkar shortly before tea leaving India at 208-3. Tendulkar made 9 runs which included 1 six before he was caught off Ross Taylor.

Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid opened the Indian innings today from the overnight total of 51-1. Sehwag was dismissed early at 14-1 and India needed a couple of stable partnerships and some long innings to strengthen the 233 run lead. Dravid and Gambhir added 170 the second wicket stand. Dravid made 60 runs and was given out in a highly controversial decision. Wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum moved to his left knee to take the catch even before Dravid played the shot off the Daniel Vettori delivery. Dravid hit his fourth fifty of the series.

Earlier in the game, India were all out for 379 in the first innings with fifties from Tendulkar, Dhoni and Harbhajan. In response New Zealand could only make 197 runs and trailed by 182 runs as follow-on looked possible at one point. Now with a 531 run lead, India look set to win the series by 2-0.

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

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