Cricket: Harbhajan leads India yet again

New Zealand's cricketers must feel as if they have been rumbled in a dark alleyway by a cheeky, light fingered thief.

And when they awake in their comfortable Hyderabad hotel beds tomorrow morning they had better check their wallets to ensure all the credit cards and loose change are accounted for.

Victimhood did not sit comfortably with the tourists today after Harbhajan Singh picked their pockets with a bewildering innings of 85 not out to snatch away the initiative New Zealand had worked so hard for on the third day of the second test.

Harbhajan tipped the balance very much in India's favour as he guaranteed the hosts a first innings lead of 86 runs when they reached stumps at 436 for nine.

He and tailender Shantakumaran Sreesanth collaborated in an astounding, unbroken 10th wicket stand of 69 runs after coming together with India barely 17 ahead of New Zealand's first innings tally of 350.

The final session of the day, which had began so promisingly for New Zealand who took four wickets for 42 runs as India slumped to 367 for nine, belonged solely to the home team and their new batting hero Harbhajan.

The unorthodox turbaned Sikh clouted five sixes and seven fours off 82 deliveries, toying with the tourists as captain Daniel Vettori resorted to stationing all nine of his fielders on the boundary's edge.

It did not matter to Harbhajan, fresh from scoring his maiden test hundred in the drawn first test at Ahmedabad, as he simply hit over the top, either straight down the ground or over mid wicket.

Vettori and his fellow bowlers were guilty of bowing to Harbhajan's onslaught and directing their attack only at Sreesanth, who held his end up by making 14 not out off 47 balls.

"In hindsight we could have attacked him for a bit longer but when you have a non-established batsman at the other end you back yourself to get him out," New Zealand vice-captain Ross Taylor said.

"I don't want to make excuses but the ball was a little bit wet (after a brief rain break). That made it a little tougher but in saying that you have to give credit to Harbhajan, who batted very well."

Until Harbhajan intervened, New Zealand had enjoyed a fine day's work, taking seven for 189 from 68 overs as their seamers and left-arm spinner Vettori maintained tight lines in a most disciplined display.

VVS Laxman had been the only batsman to prosper, striking a typically classy 74 before fast bowler Chris Martin trapped him leg before wicket after the tea adjournment.

But Harbhajan's arrival changed everything as a wild slash for four behind point off Martin ensured India overhauled the opposition's tally before he really went to town.

He went past 50 for the third time in as many innings in the series off 42 balls and then started manipulating the strike while Sreesanth survived some anxious moments when confronted by a series of short pitched deliveries from Martin.

With two days remaining, only two results are possible now - either a draw or victory for the hosts.

"What could have been an outstanding day turned out to be an average day," Taylor said, with unnerring accuracy.

"Hopefully we can get that last wicket as early as possible tomorrow morning and then we can go about knocking off whatever lead they have.

"The first priority is to take that wicket tomorrow then bat for the rest of the day."

Vettori shouldered a heavy workload, sending down 45 overs to impress with figures of four for 123 after copping some brutal punishment from Harbhajan.

Seamer Tim Southee, too, went about his work in a tidy manner as he picked up three for 95 off 28 overs.

Martin had only one wicket to show for his exertions while fellow seamer Brent Arnel stuck to the team plans while going wicketless through 24 overs which cost 79 runs.

It seems only appropriate that an Indian should have the final word on a weird and wacky day's play.

"By no stretch of the imagination is Harbhajan a bunny. He hit a lot of good shots and he is a good, clean striker of the ball," Indian batsman Rahul Dravid said.

"I think they were trying to get him out initially but he then started hitting a lot of shots.

"Sreesanth deserves credit too. He played 50 balls and that was a significant part of the partnership."

- NZPA