Cricket: Draw likely as staunch Indians dig deep

India's Gautam Gambhir (R) celebrates his century with Sachin Tendulkar. Photo / Getty Images

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The Flat Earth Society would have enjoyed events at McLean Park yesterday.

So did India and, after a dismal first innings effort, they almost certainly did enough to ensure they will go to the third and final test against New Zealand in Wellington this week 1-0 up in the series.

India begin the final day on 252 for two, trailing New Zealand overall by 62, after a day belonging to three Indian batsmen: opener Gautam Gambhir, the classy Rahul Dravid and peerless Sachin Tendulkar.

On a pitch which remains a gentle-natured friend to the batsmen, New Zealand will start this morning requiring eight wickets just to get a chance to bat for victory. By the time they get them it will probably be too late.

But just as they did throughout three sessions of honest toil and sweat yesterday, they will cling to the old line that it takes only one ball to change a game, even when things appear to be at their bleakest.

Gambhir was the rock, a short, lefthanded barnacle, who clung to the crease throughout the day for 102 not out. If he bored the pants off the crowd for long periods, it didn't matter to him, or his team.

Dravid, who shared a 133-run stand with Gambhir, was resolute and, for the second time in the match, seemed on track for a century before, on 62, being unluckily given out.

And Tendulkar looked as if he was having an extended batting practice. On 58, he looks for all money like racking up his second hundred in as many tests, today.

New Zealand succeeded on Saturday through sticking at the task and got help from some wayward Indian batting. But they always knew the magnitude of their job.

They needed India's attacking instincts to take over and, sufficiently loosened up in idyllic batting conditions, lead to their downfall. Nice idea, shame about the outcome.

India didn't repeat their first innings tumble and by mid-afternoon the body language in the field painted a clear picture.

Had Dravid been run out by James Franklin's throw from mid on in the day's second over when he was well short of safety, things might have been different.

But after that scare, Gambhir and Dravid's no frills policy produced 72 runs off 32 overs to lunch and, the odd ambitious lbw shout from offspinner Jeetan Patel against Gambhir excepted, there was little to excite the field.

One notable moment came when Dravid elegantly straight drove Patel for six. He is an along-the-ground specialist; this was only his 15th six in his 133rd test, and the first since May 2007.

Soon after lunch Gambhir, on 73, drove Patel back to the bowlers' right in a tough caught-and-bowled chance. Otherwise, it was all too comfortable for the batsmen.

Even the day's only wicket, Dravid caught at short leg off his front pad, was more an umpiring misjudgment than a batting error.

Gambhir reached 2000 test runs during the innings, his 43rd, making him the third-quickest Indian to the milestone after Virendar Sehwag and Dravid (both 40 innings).

That is not to say he's among the world's fastest Indians. At one point he was runless on 83 for 32 balls. He eked out a solitary single in the hour after tea before celebrating his fifth century off 265 balls. The 27-year-old from Delhi was largely responsible for only 205 runs coming in 90 overs yesterday.

Not pretty, but pretty substantial for India. New Zealand tried hard throughout, but it was not a day to be a bowler.