Test World Championship Final: India was in trouble ahead of reserve day despite taking the lead with 32 runs on day five of the WTC finals in Southampton. Tim Southee removed both Indian opening games to put New Zealand at the top.
Mohammed Shami led India’s comeback with a four-wicket haul in New Zealand’s 1st innings. (Reuters photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- The WTC finals go to Reserve Day, New Zealand in the lead after the Southee show
- India (217, 64/2) in stumps, New Zealand (249) lead with 32 runs
- Wednesday is reserved as a reserve day to make up for lost time
Tim Southee has come up with a heroic overall feat to put New Zealand at the forefront in the historic final of the Test World Cup as India was in trouble ahead of Reserve Day after scoring both opener races in the final session of Day 5 at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.
India lost Shubman Gill early on when he was caught by Southee for only 8 at LBW, but eventually managed to take a slim lead in the second inning, with Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara in the final session 27-run-stand for the second Wicket forged.
Southee then caught a well-adjusted Rohit (30) just 15 minutes before the end of the game on Day 5 to give New Zealand the edge in the WTC final. Rohit was beautifully built up by Southee who kept taking it away and then bringing it back sharply.
Previously, Mohammed Shami had put in a superlative effort with a four-wicket haul, but New Zealand managed to take a decisive 32-run lead after being thrown for 249 on day five of the World Test Championship final against India.
WTC Final, India vs. New Zealand Day 5: Highlights
Skipper Kane Williamson played a valiant 49-run knock while Tim Southee, 30 and Kyle Jamieson, 21 made cameos to push New Zealand out through India’s first innings of 217.
Mohammed Shami’s artistry was on display in full when he was in charge of Ross Taylor’s wicket and then came up with a peach shipment to clean up BJ Watling, who had made one to destroy New Zealand’s middle order. Shami then returned after lunch to snag Colin de Grandhomme and Jamieson’s wickets.
New Zealand showed more intent to keep the scoreboard going when Kyle Jamieson, 21 and Tim Southee, 30 knocked their clubs over for useful runs, which certainly put India back under pressure to go into the final session of the day.
Williamson hit Shami for a limit to give New Zealand’s 1st innings lead, but fell excruciatingly close to his 33rd Test fifty when Ishant finished his five-hour vigil. Ishant (3/48) denied a stubborn skipper Williamson (49) for half a century with a classic test match crash – the delivery got up and formed, which was beaten on the third slip on Virat Kohli.
There was also a delayed start of the game on Matchday 5, and when New Zealand resumed at 101-2, India got back into the competition after Virat Kohli made three inspired bowling changes.
The one-off competition on England’s south coast has already lost two full days to rain, which lowers hopes for a result in the opening finals of Test Cricket’s top event. Wednesday is reserved as a reserve day to make up for lost time.
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