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New Zealand's Chris Martin puts India in trouble

First Test, Ahmedabad (day four, close):
India 487 & 82-6 v New Zealand 459
Match scorecard


Chris Martin took four wickets in his new-ball spell
Martin celebrates after flattening Sachin Tendulkar's off stump

Inspired bowling by veteran paceman Chris Martin gave New Zealand a chance of a surprise victory in the first Test against India at Ahmedabad.

His victims included Sachin Tendulkar as he took 5-25 to leave the home side on 82-6 at the end of the fourth day's play, a lead of only 110 runs.

Earlier, 20-year-old Kane Williamson became the youngest New Zealander to score a century on his Test debut.

He made 131 out of a total of 459, Pragyan Ojha taking 4-107 for India.

The Kiwis have not won a Test in India since John Wright led them to a 136-run victory in Mumbai 22 years ago.

Martin took just three balls to begin his onslaught when Gautam Gambhir inside-edged through to wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins.

Virender Sehwag was then needlessly run out before Martin induced an edge from Rahul Dravid from the last ball before tea, to leave India reeling at 2-3.

The right-armer was not finished there, however, and he produced a vicious inswinger to claim the crucial wicket of Tendulkar for 12 and when Suresh Raina edged to Ross Taylor at first slip for a duck, India were 15-5.

VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni finally brought some sanity to proceedings with a steadying 50-run stand.

But Martin completed his ninth Test five-wicket haul when Dhoni chopped on for 22.

Laxman kept his cool to negotiate his way to the close on 34 while Harbhajan Singh reached 12 to build the lead to 110 runs.

Daniel Vettori (left) congratulates Williamson on reaching his first Test won
Daniel Vettori (left) congratulates Williamson on reaching his century

Martin's late demolition overshadowed Williamson's impressive maiden Test century, which had ensured the Black Caps moved to within touching distance of India's first-innings total of 487.

The 20-year-old made 131 before being out to the last ball of the morning session to spinner Ojha.

The Black Caps had looked like they were progressing towards a first-innings lead while Williamson and his skipper Daniel Vettori put on 86 for the sixth wicket.

But Williamson's dismissal, caught by Laxman at slip, was made even more untimely when Vettori also departed with the score on 417 immediately after lunch.

Vettori, who reached a milestone of his own by becoming the third player in Test history, alongside Ian Botham and Kapil Dev, to score 4,000 runs and take 300 wickets, edged Suresh Raina to Dhoni.

It prompted the fall of five wickets for 42 runs to leave New Zealand just short of India's first innings score.



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see also
Ryder and Williamson defy India
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India increase pressure on Kiwis
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New Zealand hit by Sehwag barrage
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Laxman back as India recall trio
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Aussies lose series after washout
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India beat Aussies to win series
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Bangladesh clinch NZ series sweep
17 Oct 10 |  Cricket
New Zealand in India 2010
10 Dec 10 |  Cricket


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