Cricket: Pace duo look to be on the outer

By Richard Boock and NZPA

The tour of India might turn out to be a Clayton's experience for New Zealand cricketers Andrew Penn and Chris Drum.

Neither of the Kiwi pacemen are in the side for the three-day match being played in Jodhpur, which, after the first match at Pune was rained out, is one of only two first-class games remaining in the test section of the seven-week tour.

Their exclusion at Jodhpur suggests neither will play in the first test at Mohali starting on Sunday, and unless they can press their claims in the only other noninternational, at Bangalore, they will almost certainly share the drinks duties for the second and third tests, which are back-to-back at Kanpur and Ahmedabad respectively.

However, the fate of Chris Harris under new coach David Trist is far less certain.

Harris was extended limited opportunities under Steve Rixon but appears to be rated more highly by Trist, although the only reason he is playing at Jodhpur is because of concerns over the health of some of his team-mates.

The 29-year-old allrounder was a late inclusion in the side after the decision was made to have Nathan Astle stand down.

Astle, like fellow allrounder Chris Cairns, has been suffering from a virus and both were rested as a precaution during the build-up to the Mohali test.

The New Zealanders came away from the first full day of play on the tour pleased with their ability to hang in when the going looked to be getting tough. They restricted the Board President's XI to 269 for eight in Jodhpur on a pitch that looked benign.

"We hung in there and that's going to be a critical factor on this tour," Trist said yesterday.

"Through patience and persistence in trying conditions, we came through the day having made some advances."

The home side had been on target for a sizable total at 163 for two during the second session. But the tourists fought back to be in an encouraging position at stumps.

After skipper Hrishkesh Kanitkar and Parvanjan Mullick had put on a century partnership for the third wicket, Nash had Mullick caught behind for 67.

In the next over, Vettori hit the stumps with consecutive deliveries to remove the next two batsmen, Virendar Shewaz and Devendra Bundela.

Kanitkar steadied the ship with wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe, the pair putting on 80 for the sixth wicket.

Kanitkar, who struck three sixes among his 12 boundaries, seemed on course for a century, but fell on 99, caught and bowled by Harris.

Nash and O'Connor then each chimed in with a wicket to tilt the balance back New Zealand's way.

Nash ended with the day's best figures of two for 34, and Vettori's 31 overs produced a return of two for 70.

Fellow spinner Paul Wiseman had a more difficult time, his 15 overs costing 66 runs without success, with Mullick in particular taking to his bowling.