Cricket: Srinath puts New Zealand in trouble

India reduced New Zealand to 81 for three by the close on the first day of their one-off Test in Hamilton yesterday. Rain and bad light meant less than three hours' play was possible but the Indians took full advantage, finding life in a tame-looking wicket after the home captain, Ken Rutherford, had opted to bat first. That decision backfired almost immediately when the opener Blair Hartland was removed by Kapil Dev for a duck with the score on one. Kapil's outswinger caught the outside edge and Rajesh Chauhan took a low catch at third slip. The other opener, Bryan Young, was next to go. Javagal Srinath got a ball to lift from just short of a length and Young's indecisive prod lobbed the ball up to Anil Kumble in the gully, to leave New Zealand 21 for two. Mark Greatbatch joined Rutherford but made just 12 before he directing a short ball from Srinath to Mohammed Azharuddin in the slips.

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