India v New Zealand, 1st Test, Hyderabad, 2nd day

India enforce follow-on after routing NZ for 159

Lunch New Zealand 159 (Franklin 43*, Ashwin 6-31, Ojha 3-44) trail India 438 by 279 runs

India spun a web around New Zealand, again © AFP  Enlarge

New Zealand were all out for 159, at the stroke of lunch, with India's spinners cleaning up the bottom half of their line-up on the third morning. R Ashwin finished with 6 for 31, taking three wickets in his three overs today. Pragyan Ojha ended with 3 for 44. NewZealand went into the break staring at gloom, defeat and a follow-on after lunch. They had lost their last five wickets in the session for 53 runs.

Play began late on the third day, due to heavy rains that had beaten down over the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Uppal in the northeast of Hyderabad earlier in the morning. The umpires reckoned they had lost seven overs of play, but India made the most of the time available against the New Zealand batsmen who came into this Test without a tour game.

India opened with the day with their two quick bowlers, and Kruger van Wyk was out in the second over of the day, leg before to Umesh Yadav. Yadav made use of the inconsistent bounce at one end, as van Wyk tried the pull. He was struck above the pad, but still given out as the ball would have hit the stumps behind, him not being the tallest of men.

Bracewell had survived competently for four overs against the two-man seam attack. Against Pragyan Ojha though, he was tied up. The ninth ball he faced against Ojha, Bracewell stepped out, missed the line completely as the ball looped away, and was stumped by Dhoni.

If Ojha came on in the sixth, and got his wicket in quick time, Ashwin was brought on in the 16th over of the morning and needed only three overs to get rid of the three remaining batsmen. Patel reached out for a drive, offering a low return catch to Ashwin on his left. A ball turning across had Trent Boult inside edging to shot leg Gambhir. The No. 11 Chris Martin did defend, but only thin air, as the ball cannoned into his stumps to bring the innings to a close.

The only solace for New Zealand in this batting performance would have come from James Franklin who was not out on 43. Franklin had played a capable hand with Kane Williamson yesterday, but on Saturday found himself in severe need of company. He faced the spinners with poise, going back and playing forward with certainity, and didn't try to either hit or defend his way out of trouble.