Kanpur: New Zealand remained untamed at the end of Day 2 of the 1st Test in Kanpur as an unbeaten opening stand between Tom Latham (50*) and Will Young (75*) sent the Kiwis to 129 after the visitors bowled India out on 345 in the first innings. New Zealand are still 217 behind though the have all their batters safe in locker making it a possible tight contest.
Earlier in the morning, India who started with an overnight score of 258/2 only managed to add 87 runs as a stellar display from Kiwi seamer Tim Southee(5/69) wrapped the home side’s tail for packing in quick succession denying themselves to post huge first innings total. India’s sole highlight of the day Shreyas Iyer’s (105) debut hundred with the Mumbaikar joining an elite list of Indian batsmen.
Ravindra Jadeja(50) was unable to add any single run on top of his overnight score getting bowled off Southee who also picked up the priced scalp of Iyer shortly after bringing up the ton before the tail was soon fell like a pack of cards.
The Kiwi openers Latham and Young in reply looked composed though against the favourable home conditions of the Indian bowling unit with the former even surviving three on-field decisions (two leg before and one caught behind), negated by DRS before and frustrate Indian spinners with a superb gritty display of batting showing his quality as seasoned campaigner. The 29 year-old Young on the other hand cracked the fifty of his Test career ensuring his side’s presence in the match.
Brief Scores: India 1st innings 345 all-out (Shreyas Iyer 105, Subhman Gill 52; Tim Southee 5/69, Kyle Jamieson 3/91) vs New Zealand 1st innings 129/0 ( Will Young 75, Tom Latham 50). New Zealand trail by 217 runs.
