Ishant takes six to bundle out NZ for 192

WELLINGTON: Six wickets from Ishant Sharma, followed by a fluent 71 runs from Shikhar Dhawan, put India on top of New Zealand after the first day of their second Test on Friday.

New Zealand were sent in to bat on a green-top wicket and India’s pacemen exploited the available seam to bowl out the hosts for 192.

India then reached 100-2 in reply by stumps, with Dhawan on 71 not out.

Sharma took 6-51 — his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests — while Mohammed Shami claimed 4-70 as New Zealand’s innings ended shortly after tea despite some resistance from the lower order.

The pitch was more sedate when India batted and, after the loss of Murali Vijay for 2 in the second over, Dhawan comfortably steered the tourists into the ascendancy.

India captain MS Dhoni won the toss for the seventh time in as many matches on the tour and did not hesitate in choosing to bowl on a pitch so lushly-grassed that it was almost indistinguishable from the unmown strips which flanked it.

Sharma removed a succession of New Zealand batsmen, beginning with openers Hamish Rutherford (12) — caught at slip off a flyer — and Peter Fulton (13) — trapped lbw by a full, swinging delivery. Sharma dismissed Tom Latham for a duck on debut and sent New Zealand to lunch at 51-4.

Shami dismissed first Test double century-maker Brendon McCullum for 8, luring the Black Caps skipper into an impulsive drive high to Ravindra Jadeja at mid-off.

Sharma returned after lunch to remove Corey Anderson for 24 and wicket-keeper B.J. Watling without scoring.

New Zealand were able to progress towards a decent total thanks to some luck and Kane Williamson’s 47.

Williamson was caught twice only for replays to reveal the deliveries were no-balls.

He was finally caught, by Rohit Sharma at slip off Shami.

Jimmy Neesham, batting at No. 8 on Test debut, made 33 and Tim Southee hit 32 to add a late flourish to the New Zealand innings.

Score Board

India won toss

New Zealand 1st innings

P G Fulton lbw b I Sharma 13

H D Rutherford c Vijay b I Sharma 12

K S Williamson c R Sharma b Shami 47

T W M Latham c Dhoni b I Sharma 0

*B B McCullum c Jadeja b Shami 8

C J Anderson c Kohli b I Sharma 24

†B J Watling c R Sharma b I Sharma 0

J D S Neesham c Dhoni b Shami 33

T G Southee c Vijay b I Sharma 32

N Wagner not out 5

T A Boult c Pujara b Shami 2

Extras (lb 2, w 8, nb 6) 16

Total (all out; 52.5 overs) 192

Fall: 1-23, 2-26, 3-26, 4-45, 5-84, 6-86, 7-133, 8-165, 9-184, 10-192

Bowling: Khan 17-3-57-0 (2nb, 1w); Shami 16.5-4-70-4 (1nb, 2w); I Sharma 17-3-51-6 (3nb); Jadeja 2-1-12-0

India 1st innings

S Dhawan not out 71

M Vijay c Watling b Southee 2

C A Pujara lbw b Boult 19

I Sharma not out 3

Extras (b 4, w 1) 5

Total (2 wickets; 28 overs) 100

To bat: V Kohli, R G Sharma, A M Rahane, *†M S Dhoni, R A Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Z Khan

Fall: 1-2, 2-89

Bowling: Boult 9-4-18-1; Southee 7-0-20-1; Wagner 7-0-36-0; Anderson 3-0-14-0; Neesham 2-0-8-0 (1w)

Test debuts: T W M Latham and J D S Neesham (New Zealand)

Umpires: S J Davis (Australia) and R A Kettleborough (England). TV umpire: D J Walker. Match referee: R S Madugalle (Sri Lanka)