India increase pressure on Kiwis

First Test, Ahmedabad (day two, close): India 487 v New Zealand 69-2

Match scorecard

Tim McIntosh is caught behind by India skipper Mahendra Dhoni

India continued their dominance of the first Test in Ahmedabad as New Zealand closed day two 418 runs behind at 69-2.

After opening-day centuries from Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, seeking his 50th Test hundred, was caught and bowled for 40.

Harbhajan Singh struck five fours and three sixes in a Test-best eighth fifty, before India were 487 all out.

New Zealand lost Tim McIntosh for a duck in the third over but Brendon McCullum hit seven fours in 38 not out.

The Kiwis had made a mini-revival after India resumed on a formidable 329-3, with Tendulkar and Laxman at the crease.

They shared 66 and with the country celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, it looked as though the milestone century would arrive at the perfect moment.

But Tendulkar never found any real fluency and gave a simple return catch to spinner Jeetan Patel.

Debutant Kane Williamson claimed his first Test wicket when Suresh Raina was smartly taken at extra cover by McCullum, and Patel trapped Laxman lbw in the final over before lunch.

New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori, playing in his 100th Test, then took three wickets after lunch as a total of five fell for 29.

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Vettori had the ignominy of being hit for four and six in successive balls by Harbhajan, but ended the innings when the India spinner, in his 88th Test, got a bottom edge and was caught behind.

The tourists made a dreadful start to their reply when McIntosh tried to avoid a short one from Zaheer Khan that barely bounced over the stumps.

The ball flicked McIntosh's gloves and gave Mahendra Dhoni a routine catch behind the stumps.

Pragyan Ojha's left-arm spin was introduced in the eighth over and he struck with the first ball of his second over.

BJ Watling pushed tentatively inside a delivery which held its line and knocked back the top of the off-stump.

McCullum showed good footwork to hit Ojha for two fours in an over, sharing an unbroken 42 with Ross Taylor, who hit three fours in his 18, but the first target for the Kiwis is to reach 219 and save the follow-on.

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