India dominates, but Ryder and Vettori steal India’s thunder.

India dominated Day one of the first test against New Zealand at Hamilton. Skipper Daniel Vettori and Jesse Ryder pegged back their side from a disastrous start of 60 for six in the first session. Indian skipper M S Dhoni’s decision stood vindicated as he chose to bowl first on what looked like a competitive wicket, with something for bowlers as well as batsmen. Zaheer and Ishant lived up to the expectations of the new ball as Zaheer the senior of the lot lead by example and scalped two wickets in four balls while Sharma picked up three in his lively second spell. Zaheer’s wicket column at the end of New Zealand’s innings was a clearly misleading as the Indian spearhead deserved more wickets for the sheer brilliance in his line and length. Ishant Sharma was all aggression and energy as he trotted every time to the crease. Ross Taylor’s dismissal off Sharma’s bowling must have reminded fans of Ponting’s dismissal In the Sydney test. Munaf Patel justified his selection as the third seamer. He went past both Khan and Sharma in terms of his precision in line and length. Patel was also on a hat-trick in the later part of the innings.

All said and done about the Indian bowlers, Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori were today’s heroes as they scored their maiden and third century respectively. Ryder carried his form from the last ODI and scored at will along with his skipper whose third ton came at the right time. In fact such was the dominance of the pair that they scored at almost four an over in the second session which they owned hands down. They made the Indian fielders run all around the park as they added 186 runs for the seventh wicket, highest for New Zealand against India. The Black Caps were eventually bowled out for 279, far away from the fear of crumbling down for a less than 100 score. Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir played the new ball with aplomb as they ended the day with 29 for none in seven overs. Sehwag already looks in ominous touch with five boundaries in his score sheet.

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