New Zealand ended day four of the first Test against India at 48 for 1 in their second innings, chasing 370 for what could be an improbable triumph on the final day.
Anil Kumble surprised Mark Richardson with one that jumped on him and Akash Chopra took yet another gem at short leg.
If the Kiwis decide to chase 322 in 90 overs we are in for a great day of cricket on Sunday.
Will New Zealand be able to create history?
Morning session:
It was another Test between India and New Zealand at Ahmedabad and another follow-on scenario. In 1999, when India had the option to enforce the mercy-rule, skipper Sachin Tendulkar and coach Kapil Dev resisted the idea. New Zealand drew the Test and the decision snowballed into a major controversy when allegations of match-fixing were doing the rounds.
On the eve of the fourth day there was a lot of talk about whether Sourav Ganguly should enforce the follow-on if he bowled out the Kiwis before they got the 19 runs or whether India should bat again, fire some quick runs on the board and bowl the Kiwis out again.
But before one could decide which way they'd lean, the Kiwi spinners batted together successfully to avoid the follow-on inside the first hour of play.
Wiseman and Vettori gave a better account of themselves with the bat than they did with the ball, when they gave away 208 runs in 65 overs.
Ganguly employed Harbhajan and Kumble first thing in the morning but none of the spinners could penetrate through the Vettori-Wiseman wall.
That the follow-on was avoided well probably not hurt India's fortunes in the match a lot if Ganguly can time his declaration well. But it has been a minor victory for the Kiwis to avoid the follow-on.
It is very important to win the small battles in a big war. The small battle -- of avoiding the follow-on -- won by the Kiwis could spur them to bat with more determination and draw this Test.
Test cricket is about defeating the opposition mentally. The runs and wickets then take care of themselves. A morose looking Kiwi dressing room was cheering and alive when they avoided having to bat again in the Test.
Vettori got his sixth Test half-century, off 111 balls with nine fours, which gives an idea that it was an innings any middle-order batsman would be proud of. Vettori played straight, close to the body and drove with precision, picking the gaps. His innings was not washed in technical excellence, but the 146 minutes he used up for his half-century subdued Indian spirits.
As the hands went deeper into the pockets, the Kiwis' grew in confidence. Despite Wiseman departing soon after drinks, hooking Zaheer and offering a dolly to VVS Laxman at square leg, the Kiwis scored at a good pace. (332-9).
Vettori was simply batting with a newfound confidence, driving the spinners and the pacers with disdain. His drive through extra cover, off Zaheer, was the shot of the Kiwi innings.
His was the last wicket to fall. He edged Kumble to Dravid after a splendid 60 which will force skipper Fleming to promote him from his current number nine batting position.
New Zealand finished at 340, trailing the Indian first innings total of 500 by 160 runs.
A shocking statistic of the Kiwis innings was that the last four wickets batted for 48 overs, adding 104 runs.
Zaheer returned figures of 4 for 68, but deep down he will know that barring the three-wicket burst on the second day, his bowling left a lot to be desired.
Harbhajan, recovering from his finger injury, impressed, but was not a 100 per cent. That he will not deny that.
Kumble picked two wickets for 58, but the way the Kiwis handled him proves that he is not a threat any more.
The game is headed for a draw. Only an exceptional bowling performance can extract a result out of this match.
The Indian batters should score another 180-200 runs and force the Kiwis to bat for the last hour today to make a contest of this game.
Post-lunch session:
Former pitches committee chief Kasturi Rangan rubbished the Motera track, calling it a very slow wicket devoid of any bounce.
"I wonder where they have bungled up. Even if you want to take home advantage at least prepare a slow turner, not a dead wicket. As the game is progressing the wicket is getting slower and slower and the bounce is getting lower and lower," he told rediff.com.
He blamed bad maintenance before the game for the poor performance of the wicket.
Meanwhile, curator Nadeem Memon put the blame on the Indian spinners for bowling too flat and fast, instead of looping the ball.
"They are bowling like one-day bowlers. Look at Vettori; single-handedly he got New Zealand the prize wickets of VVS Laxman and Akash Chopra. You have to purchase your wicket," he argued.
He also blamed the intense heat that dried up the wicket, leaving it lifeless.
It begs the question: What good is a Test when you know on the fourth morning, it is heading for a dull draw?
Is this the preparation this team deserves before leaving for the Australian tour?
If we don't win a home series against New Zealand at home 2-nil, with what momentum will we reach Australia?
Sehwag's adventurous mood proved his undoing as he departed, caught at the wicket off Jacob Oram, trying to steer the ball past the slip cordon for 17.
Dravid and Chopra produced the most entertaining period of play, smashing 77 runs of 98 balls. Dravid was the chief architect of the blitzkrieg, pulling and cutting boldly and yet never missing the singles. Contrary to popular belief, he is the most versatile batsman in the side who can defend endlessly and shift gears and blaze away at will.
Chopra, looking to catch up with the Indian deputy, was fooled by Vettori yet again in flight and spooned a catch to Styris in the cover region for 31.
Soon after, Dravid brought up the team's hundred and his own half-century with a dab down leg for a single. His fifty, off 56 balls, contained only five boundaries. It shows that quick scoring is not all about the big shots.
The first Indian fifty took 108 balls while the second a mere 51.
The buzz in the crowd however was not about Dravid's breezy knock but the advent of Tendulkar to the crease.
In an attempt to up the ante, Tendulkar stepped out to Wiseman, looking to go over long-on, and saw a leading edge fly to Vettori at long-off. He managed to score seven off 15 deliveries. (118-3)
Adding 126 for the loss of three wickets, India increased their lead to 286 at tea, with Dravid playing a breezy knock was unbeaten on 64 of 75 balls. Giving him company was VVS Laxman on 5.
Post-tea session:
The slam-bang interlude continued after tea as Laxman and Dravid hunted for quick runs.
Laxman smashed Vettori for a six and opener Richardson, following the flight of the ball, did his back in and was forced off the field.
Dravid, chancing his arm at anything irrespective of the length, was dropped by Wiseman when on 72, off Vettori. But he didn't last long, finally offering a simple catch to Vincent, off Wiseman. He was out for 73, missing the opportunity to make two hundreds in a Test.
Laxman played some more crisp shots, driving Vettori inside out and lofting Wiseman over the infield, but departed for a quick-fire 44 of f 35 balls, caught brilliantly by Vettori at the fence off the bowling of Wiseman.
At 177 for 5, all eyes were on Ganguly, who was batting in the middle with Parthiv Patel, for the declaration.
During the tea break, the Kiwi coach Ashley Ross said if set a target of 350 in 100 overs they would definitely go after it if they did not lose too many wickets early.
Ganguly smashed a couple of sixes and looked to get as many as he could with coach John Wright signaling another ten minutes before declaring.
The Kiwi fielding plunged as the heat and the target swelled. After Wiseman dropped Dravid, Nathan Astle also grassed a simple catch of Patel, much to the delight of the Ahmedabad crowd.
India finally declared at 209 for 6 when Wiseman bowled Ganguly for 25.
India set New Zealand a target of 370 with about 110 overs to get them in.
The gods were not generous to India in the second innings as they were during the first Kiwi innings. Zaheer bowled good lengths but the Kiwi opening pair of Lou Vincent and Mark Richardson was watchful and pointed their bats skywards to quality deliveries pitched outside their off-stump. Balaji induced an edge off Vincent's bat but was called for overstepping.
Barring that blip, the Kiwi openers played the rest of the day with confidence, determined not to lose any wickets.
It will be challenging for them to chase 322 runs in 90 overs on the last day with the wicket sleeping since the past four days. With nine wickets in hand, it will be worthwhile going at 3.5 an over to chase what will be an improbable win.
At the fag end of the day, Kumble surprised Richardson with one that jumped on him and Akash Chopra took yet another gem at short leg. The Kiwi rock was out of the way for 21 and India sniffed a chance, though the thought of victory at this point of time seems far-fetched.
New Zealand ended the day at 48-1 requiring another 322 runs to win in 90 overs tomorrow.
