India v New Zealand: McCullum leads New Zealand's quest for safety

New Zealand 350 and 131 for 1 (McCullum 73*, Guptill 4*) lead India 472 (Harbhajan 111*, Sehwag 96, Laxman 74, Vettori 5-135) by 9 runs At tea on day four, New Zealand needed to bat out two-and-a-half to three more sessions to achieve consecutive draws against India, and they had nine wickets in hand. Given the style in which Brendon McCullum and Tim McIntosh went about the job against a Zaheer Khan-less India, wiping off the 122-run deficit in 35 overs, they might need even lesser time to attain a sufficient lead. Harbhajan Singh's unique feat of getting consecutive centuries from No. 8 was overshadowed by New Zealand's first century opening stand since June 2004. McCullum's calculated approach made the job easier for McIntosh, who - like in first innings - didn't mind staying inconspicuous. McCullum went after every new bowler in his first two overs, spread the field around, and then settled down in his defensive pursuit. Once he grew confident, he gave up the defensive part, and swept both the spinners with glee. McCullum's plan worked the best against Sreesanth, whom he cover-drove and upper-cut for boundaries in his first two overs, posting the first double-digit opening for New Zealand in five attempts. In Sreesanth's third over, he top-edged a pull from outside off, but it landed safe, the closest India came to dismissing him. Sreesanth began trying too hard, bowling three no-balls in the first spell of four overs, cutting the side crease once. Both openers then negotiated him with ease. It didn't help India that Zaheer pulled up with an abdominal strain and left the field midway into his fifth over. Especially because Zaheer was the only bowler who created opportunities, inducing two edges in the first over, both from McIntosh, but each flew between the second slip and gully. Against the other bowlers, McCullum continued with his strategy. He hit the fourth ball he faced from Harbhajan for a straight six, and the fifth and sixth from Pragyan Ojha for a six and a four. McIntosh, 30 off 102 at one stage, also grew in confidence, and came down the track to both spinners and lofted them into the cow-corner area, in a fashion reminiscent of Stephen Fleming. Just before tea, though, with nothing happening for India, they got a lucky break. It was a superb reflex catch at forward short leg from Cheteshwar Pujara, substituting for Zaheer, but McIntosh didn't seem to have touched the ball as he missed a sweep off Ojha. He was one short of scoring a century and a fifty in the Test immediately after bagging a pair. Harbhajan, who bowled 13 wicketless overs, would have loved to carry his batting form from the morning session. It was his batsman-like effort that made sure only New Zealand could lose this match. He added 105 with Sreesanth, the third-highest 10th-wicket partnership for India. Thirty-six of those came today. Daniel Vettori finally separated them, more than 45 minutes into the day, with one that went straight with the angle, catching Sreesanth in front of off, thus completing a five-for. Resuming on 85, Harbhajan showed no anxiety whatsoever in trying to get to the hundred. He faced two consecutive overs from Tim Southee, picking three couples into the heavily populated leg side. Then Sreesanth found a single against spin, and Harbhajan welcomed that with a six straight into the sight screen. Even on 98, Harbhajan turned down singles at the start of the over. He exploited the tired New Zealand minds, getting there with two easy singles spread over two overs. He celebrated it with another six, and Sreesanth with an edged four. Sreesanth lasted 71 balls, his longest innings in Tests.