* Zaheer takes five as New Zealand bowled out for 197
* India extend lead to 233 for loss of Sehwag
(updates at end of play)
By Greg Stutchbury
WELLINGTON, April 4 - India were closing in on
their first test series victory in New Zealand since 1968 as
they extended their lead to 233 runs at the close of play on
the second day of the third and final test on Saturday.
The visitors, who hold a 1-0 series lead after a 10-wicket
victory in the first game in Hamilton, were 51 for one at the
close after Zaheer Khan's seventh five-wicket haul helped bowl
the hosts out for 197 in their first innings.
Zaheer finished with five for 65 from 18 overs as New
Zealand conceded a 182-run lead after they had bowled India out
for 379 earlier in the day.
The visitors extended that lead with only the loss of
explosive opener Virender Sehwag, who blasted three boundaries
in his seven-ball innings of 12.
Sehwag was caught by first slip Ross Taylor when a vicious
bouncer from Chris Martin brushed his glove.
Gautam Gambhir was on 28 while Rahul Dravid was on nine as
the shadows lengthened across the ground.
New Zealand reverts back from daylight saving time on
Sunday, which will undoubtedly shorten the remaining days' play
by at least 30 minutes in the fading light.
Zaheer took advantage of a blustery northerly wind to
produce some swing and sharp bounce, though New Zealand's
batsmen did not help themselves with poor shot making.
India had a chance of enforcing the follow on after tea
when Tim Southee (16) mistimed a hook off Zaheer, who took the
skied catch for his fifth wicket and left New Zealand 160 for
eight.
Iain O'Brien (19) and Brendon McCullum (24), however,
guided the hosts past the 180 needed to make India bat again
when O'Brien sent a thick edge past gully for a boundary.
McCullum was then virtually immediately dismissed by
Harbhajan Singh with the score on 181 to become wicketkeeper
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's fifth catch of the innings.
Harbhajan also dismissed Ross Taylor (42) and James
Franklin (15), while Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel grabbed one
each.
Munaf's dismissal of O'Brien was Dhoni's sixth catch, which
helped the captain equal the record for the most dismissals in
an innings between the two countries.
Compatriot Syed Kirmani took five catches and made a
stumping in Christchurch in Feb. 1976.
Earlier, Zaheer had dismissed Martin Guptill (17) and
Daniel Flynn (two) before lunch and captured the wickets of Tim
McIntosh (32) and Jesse Ryder (three) in the afternoon session
to destroy New Zealand's top order before tea.
Three of his five-wicket hauls have come against New
Zealand.
India's first innings ended in just the third over of the
day when Sharma edged a catch behind off Martin to McCullum for
18, leaving Munaf unbeaten on 15.
Martin finished with 4-98 in India's first innings.
(Editing by Martin Petty; To query or comment on this story
email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)