New Zealand stretch lead to 217 against India (Lunch Report)

HYDERABAD - Brendan McCullum was unbeaten on 171 as New Zealand cruised to 339 four four in the second innings against India at lunch on the fifth day as the second cricket Test headed towards a draw here Tuesday.

Resuming at 237 for four, McCullum and Kane Williamson (66*) scored briskly as 102 runs were scored in the first session of the day at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Uppals. New Zealand made 350 runs in the first innings and then bowled out India for 472.

McCullum and Williamson, with their unbroken 118-run stand for the fifth wicket, gave New Zealand a lead of 217.

Indian bowlers failed to make any breakthrough, despite the return of Zaheer Khan, who missed a large part of Monday’s action following an abdominal strain.

Both McCullum and Williamson played with ease and used their feet well against the Indian spinners as runs flowed freely from both ends.

Williamson started on an attacking mode hitting Sreesanth for three fours in the very first over. Williamson got his fifty with a paddle-sweep off Pragyan Ojha that earned him two runs and in the next ball punched the left-arm spinner through point for his ninth boundary.

McCullum, who was dropped on 148 at forward short leg by Cheteshwar Pujara off Harbhajan, took some time with get the two runs for his 150. But after he reached the landmark, McCullum found his attacking sense, and toyed with the spin duo of Harbhajan and Ojha.