Ryder spells double trouble for Indians

New Zealand 619-9 d India 79-3

New Zealand restricted India to 79 for 3 at stumps on day two in Napier after the hosts had posted 619 for 9 before declaring in the second Test at McLean Park yesterday.

After Jesse Ryder hit 201 to become New Zealand's 11th double-centurion, Jeetan Patel and captain Daniel Vettori took one and two wickets respectively after tea to put the hosts firmly in the driving seat. Rahul Dravid finished the day unbeaten on 21 for India, alongside Sachin Tendulkar, who has yet to score.

New Zealand had resumed on 351 for 4 and Ryder and James Franklin set about building on that lead as they combined for 121. Franklin was run out after reaching his second Test half-century. Ryder (right), who resumed on 137, added 54 runs by lunch and brought up his maiden double ton with a pull shot past leg gully off Zaheer Khan after lunch. It was his 24th boundary in a superb innings that spanned over eight hours. But just as he did when reaching his century in Hamilton, the big left-hander was dismissed the very next ball.

A 128-run partnership between Brendon McCullum and Vettori followed, leaving the Black Caps on a mammoth 592 for 6 at tea. McCullum hit a boundary off the part-time bowling of Virender Sehwag to become the third centurion for New Zealand: his 103 took 131 balls and included 11 fours.

New Zealand passed the 600 mark in the 151st over when Vettori smashed a four through the covers to bring up his 19th half-century. But the Kiwi captain was dismissed in the next over for 55 when he chopped on a delivery from Ishant Sharma before McCullum was out for 115.

By then, the hosts were 618 for 8 and Iain O'Brien then picked up his one and only run before New Zealand declared after Patel was caught.

India made a decent start in their reply with Sehwag in fine fettle as he hit five fours and a six before Vettori made a simple catch at mid-off to dismiss him for 34. Gautam Gambhir followed suit not long after when he lobbed a catch to Vettori from Patel's delivery and Sharma was out for a duck in the penultimate over of the day when he was dismissed lbw from Vettori's delivery.