Cricket News By TODAYLIVESCORE.INFO - Live Cricket Score - New Zealand vs India, 1st Test - Day 3. Tim Southee bagged a five-wicket haul on Day 2
Tim Southee bagged a five-wicket haul on Day 2
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Axar spins a web
Four Tests, five-fors – Axar Patel's incredible record in Test cricket so far. Axar's five-wicket haul against New Zealand in Kanpur didn't just reaffirm his spin bowling prowess but also helped India bounce back.
It was during the second session when Axar charted a turnaround in India's fortunes. The experienced Ross Taylor was the first of his victims. The 37-year-old had a close shave when KS Bharat couldn't effect a tough stumping chance. Taylor, though, didn't make the opportunity count as he soon edged a delivery that turned away from him. Axar then prised out Henry Nicholls LBW.
The left-arm spinner followed it up by picking the prized scalp of the set Tom Latham. After a long-vigil at the crease, the opener lost his concentration as he danced down the deck, only to be stumped. Axar also showcased his bowling smarts by holding his length back and as a result Latham couldn't get to the pitch of the ball.
Tom Blundell, who was intent on lunging forward to almost every delivery, was done in by a delivery from Axar that kept low. Axar then rattled Tim Southee's timber to leave the tourists eight down. For a brief period, Kyle Jamieson showed the required temperament as he used his reach and also went right back to collect crucial runs. However, he soon holed out off R Ashwin's bowling. The off-spinner then wrapped up the innings by knocking over Will Somerville's stumps.
It was quite evident that the move to bring Axar into the attack with the second new ball paid rich dividends for the home team. On a slow pitch, he found some extra bite with the new ball. The salient features of his bowling were his ability to bowl quicker through the air and extract more bounce, alongside the randomness he created with his scrambled seam. Bharat, who came in as a substitute for the injured Wriddhiman Saha (neck problem), also played his part in India's fine comeback by grabbing sharp chances.
Despite losing Shubman Gill before the close of play, India are back in the ascendancy. The track too has started to offer more for the spinners, and New Zealand have the task of batting last on a wearing pitch.
Ashwin into the act
For a while Jamieson played with a degree of confidence – prodding forward and also camping back – before he holed out off Ashwin's bowling. India still have a very useful lead of 61.
Axar on a roll… yet again
And that is Axar's fifth wicket. He has flattened Southee's stumps with a ball that straightened a touch. Axar also bowled it from wide of the crease to create that angle. He now has five-fors in his first four Tests. Cricket must be an easy game for him!
Axar has his fourth!Blundell is knocked over. This one kept that low from a shorter length and crashes into the stumps
India right back!
In these conditions, one wicket can bring two-three-four. And New Zealand have lost four after the Lunch break. Ravindra, on Test debut, is the latest one to be dismissed. From slightly wide of the crease, Jadeja got one to turn past Ravindra's defence vis the footmarks to shatter the timber.
Six down and India are right back in the game!
Latham misses ton
Third wicket for Axar Patel as India strike for the third time after Lunch. Latham comes out of the crease quite early and Axar notices that and bowls it short. The ball clips the elbow and bounces en route to the ‘keeper who does a good job to collect it and bring down the bails. Latham departs for 95, New Zealand are 227/5.
Axar dents New Zealand
Axar has prised out Taylor. He deserved that wicket. A little more bite with the second new ball helped him as well. The ball turned away after pitching and took the edge of the bat with Bharat grabbing another excellent catch.
Taylor, in the past, has struggled a bit versus the left-arm spinners.
Axar then snuffed out Nicholls. The southpaw tried to sweep but could only connect with the thin air. Nicholls took the review but wasn't successful in reversing the initial decision. India are making a fine comeback here. The move to use Axar with the new ball paying dividends.
Opportunity not taken
Bharat has missed a tough chance to stump Taylor. The veteran danced down the track but Axar saw the move early enough and shortened the length a touch. Eventually, it went through Taylor's legs with the ‘keeper not able to collect it cleanly. Taylor in front of him would have blinded his view. There was also a faint edge which made the ball deviate.
Umesh strikes!
In an attempt to break the stand, Ajinkya Rahane went back to Umesh Yadav and that move bore fruit. At the stroke of lunch, Williamson played back to a skiddy delivery that seamed back into him and was trapped in front. The New Zealand skipper took the review but to no avail.
Meha Bhardwaj @Bhardwajmeha Just heard Ashwin arguing with Nitin Menon saying this is not fair. I have studied it and asked the match referee, not breaking any rules. #indvsnz 05:29 AM • Nov 11, 2021
🏏FlashScore Cricket Commentators @FlashCric Umpire: “You are obstructing my vision” Rahane: “He's not running on to the danger area.” Umpire: “I can't make the LBW calls.” Ashwin: “You are anyways not making any” 😋😂 LIVE COMMS: 👉 https://t.co/XAI4PjXuF0 👈 #INDvNZ | #NZvIND 05:27 AM • Nov 11, 2021
And some controversy
The morning session also saw a bit of controversy with regard to Ashwin running across in his followthrough from round the wicket and coming in line of the non-striker, obstructing him to take off for a single. Rahane too was summoned by the umpire Nitin Menon and for a few minutes there was a heated discussion.
India miss out on the review
India have missed a trick. Ashwin got one turn away from Latham and rapped him on the pads. It looked quite close to the naked eye but India didn't ask for the review. The ball-tracker then suggested it would crash into the stumps. The point to note is on a track that is staying on the lower side, one doesn't expect it to miss the stumps.
Threatening stand broken
Finally, India have broken the stand and Ashwin is the man. Flatter delivery and outside off and Young edged one behind. Eventually, Ashwin outfoxed Young with clever use of the angles.
The ball kept low but Bharat showcased his wicketkeeping skills by pouching the catch.
On the other hand, end of a brilliant knock from Young. The opener skipped down the deck and used the sweep to keep the scorecard ticking over. He deserved a hundred.
Young and Latham frustrate India
New Zealand's openers continue to frustrate India. There have been a few close shaves. In the 63rd over, Latham eked out an edge off Ashwin, but it once again fell in front of the slip fielder. More deliveries have kept low at the start of day 3, but as the wicket is slow, the batter can still play back and adjust. Meanwhile, Young is nearing his maiden Test hundred.
Update:KS Bharat is out with the gloves. Saha not on the field because of a neck issue.
Look of the surface: In general the pitch was good to bat on. Still looks a good pitch. What we saw from Tim Southee was pure class and skill, found areas to trouble batters. Towards the end of the day we did see spinners – particularly Ashwin – getting a bit more spin from the middle of the pitch, although still slow. Slowness of the pitch would mean it will still be difficult for the spinners. Little more rough for Jadeja and Axar to work with than Ashwin. If you apply yourself still seems to be a good pitch to bat on, reckon Deep Dasgupta and Ajit Agarkar.
Prelude:
“I had played around for a long time to bowl the inswinger but wasn't able to do this. I watched the likes of James Anderson swinging it both ways, and tried to pick up ways to try and bowl it. And it got to a point where I was worried about losing my outswing,” Tim Southee had told the ICC's YouTube channel.
To compensate for the inswinger, Southee picked up the three-quarter seam ball from his former team-mate Kyle Mills. The three-quarter ball, where the bowler holds it at a 45-degree angle to get a bit of variation off the pitch (mostly into the right-hander and away from the left-hander), has served Southee very well over the last few years.
On a Kanpur track where the odd ball has stayed low, he once again employed the tried and tested weapon to good effect to run through India's middle and lower order. Southee also bagged a five-fer for his efforts as India slid to 345 all out from 258 for 4. On the other hand, the home side's bright spot in the first innings was Shreyas Iyer's Test hundred on debut.
Tom Latham and Will Young then shared an unbeaten stand of 129 to cement New Zealand's good position. Barring a few hiccups, the duo looked in fine touch on a track that is on the slower side.
Can the spin trio – Ashwin, Axar and Jadeja – make inroads on Day 3? Or will New Zealand take a lead? We are just a few minutes away from the action.
