Cricket: Early losses hamper Kiwis' victory chase

India 208 & 356 New Zealand 352 & 73 for 4

NEW ZEALAND and India headed for a tight finish in the second Test after the fourth day yesterday. At the close, New Zealand were 73 for 4 and needed 140 runs to win with a day left. But their chances are handicapped as Nathan Astle has a fracture in his left hand and will bat only in an emergency.

With Sachin Tendulkar in full flight with a century, India at lunch seemed sure to set New Zealand a hard target. But the second new ball triggered a collapse. Tendulkar was caught for 113 and Azharuddin departed with 48. India lost their last six wickets for only 59 runs to be all out for 356. That set New Zealand to make 213 to win.

New Zealand could put together only one partnership of any substance - 41 runs for the second wicket between Matthew Horne and Stephen Fleming.

Fourth day, India won toss

INDIA - First Innings 208 (M Azharuddin 103 not out; S Doull 7 for 65)

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings 352 (D Nash 89 not out, D Vettori 57, N Astle 56; A Kumble 4 for 83)

INDIA - Second innings

(Overnight: 179-3)

S C Ganguly c Bell b Wiseman 48

S R Tendulkar c Fleming b Nash 113

*M Azharuddin c Parore b Nash 48

N R Mongia c Fleming b Doull 2

A Kumble c Nash b Vettori 23

J Srinath not out 27

V Prasad c and b Astle 0

H Singh c Horne b McMillan 1

Extras (nb5, lb1, b3, w1) 10

Total 356

Fall (cont): 4-200, 5-297, 6-304, 7- 304, 8-346, 9-349.

Bowling: Doull 25-10-49-2 (nb1); Cairns 19-2-68-0 (nb2); D Nash 15-9- 20-3 (nb1), Vettori 20-6-92-1; McMillan 9.5-2-26-1 (nb1, w1); Wiseman 19-1-90-2, Astle 7-3-7-1.

NEW ZEALAND - Second innnings

M D Bell c Dravid b Srinath 0

M J Horne lbw b Kumble 31

*S P Fleming b Kumble 17

N J Astle retired hurt 1

C D McMillan not out 17

A C Parore run out 1

P J Wiseman not out 0

Extras (b4, lb1, nb1) 6

Total (for 4) 73

Fall: 1-0, 2-42, 3-51, 4-67

To bat: C L Cairns, D J Nash, D L Vettori, S B Doull.

Bowling: Srinath 8-1-27-1 (nb1); Prasad 6-1-20-0; Kumble 11-5-19-2; Singh 2-1-1-0; Tendulkar 1-0-1-0.

Umpires: E A Nicholls (WI) and E A Watkin (NZ).