Cricket: Ryder's classy ton shows appetite for success

Jesse Ryder is not a big fan of Indian cuisine but there's no question he is quite partial to Indian bowlers.

The New Zealand middle order batsman announced his return to the test cricket arena after a 15-month injury-enforced absence with his third century in just his 12th test on Saturday.

They have all come against India, following two at home in March last year which included a career-best 201 at Napier, and Ryder rates Saturday's classy 103 on the third day of the first test here at Sardar Patel Stadium on a par with that.

"I rate it up there as one of my better ones. To come over here on their home turf and score runs against them is a big achievement for me," said Ryder, who raised three figures in the last over of the day by smacking fast bowler Shantakumaran Sreesanth to the boundary before missing a straight one from the same bowler two balls later to be trapped leg before wicket.

By then Ryder had resurrected his team's cause, aided and abetted by nerveless debutant Kane Williamson, a 20-year-old going on 30 who contributed an unbeaten 87 to their New Zealand record fifth wicket stand against India of 194 runs.

Ryder and Williamson inherited a precarious position from the top order, joining forces shortly before lunch after the loss of two quick wickets with the tourists at a shaky 137 for four, chasing India's first innings of 487.

The odd couple - the baby faced Williamson has attracted nothing but favourable press, while Ryder has form for playing too many shots after dark - then defied the Indians for 281 minutes to guide their team to a fighting 331 for five.

Ryder could not explain his hot run against India.

"That's just the way it is. They are the best team in the world and that just gives me motivation to bat for a long time and score runs against them."

It was the first time Ryder had batted with Williamson, and the two are still in the process of forging a working relationship.

With neither individual noted for verbose conversation, Ryder said the chatter between the batsmen was minimal.

"There wasn't too much talking. Kane is pretty quiet out there, he's in the zone. I was trying to make him smile for most of the innings but I didn't get much out of him."

Ryder spent much of his innings using a runner after straining a calf muscle, which he hopes will not prevent him from doing his share of bowling when India bat a second time.

Opening batsman Brendon McCullum, who earlier made 65, said it was a pleasure to sit in the dressing room and watch Ryder and Williamson take it to the world No 1 Indians.

"I sat back in awe how two guys in contrasting situations in their careers responded," McCullum said.

"They did it like a couple of old pros. Kane didn't play a shot in anger and Jesse played more the lead role.

"They are both guys who genuinely love batting and genuinely love scoring runs."

Ryder certainly does against India, his latest effort lifting his aggregate against the game's top nation to 430 runs from six innings at an average of 71.66. His 11th and final boundary on Saturday also saw Ryder pass 1000 runs at test level at an average of 52.68 from 19 completed innings.

- NZPA