Kiwis check India's early progress

Cricket: India 120-3 v New Zealand

Cricket

India 120-3 v New Zealand

India slumped from 69 without loss to 77 for 3 on the rain-interrupted first day of the third Test in Cuttack yesterday before an unbroken fourth- wicket stand of 43 between captain Mohammad Azharrudin and Navjot Sidhu stopped the rot.

India, one up in the three-Test series, were given a useful start by Manoj Prabhakar and Ajay Jadeja before Chris Cairns and Dion Nash took a wicket each.

Cairns then struck the biggest blow when he bowled Sachin Tendulkar for two as the batsman tried to play to the on-side and had his leg stump up-rooted.

(First day; India won toss)

INDIA - First Innings

M Prabhakar c Crowe b Nash 22

A S Jadeja c Hart b Cairns 45

N S Sidhu not out 20

S R Tendulkar b Cairns 2

*M Azharuddin not out 23

Extras: (nb1 lb7) 8

Total (for 3) 120

Fall: 1-69 2-75 3-77.

To bat: V G Kambli, N R Mongia, A R Kapoor, A R Kumble, J Srinath,N D Hirwani.

NEW ZEALAND: *L K Germon, M J Greatbatch, R G Twose, A C Parore, M D Crowe, S P Fleming, C L Cairns, D J Nash, M N Hart, D K Morrison, M J Haslam.

Umpires: I Robinson (Zim), V K Ramaswamy (Ind).