Table of Contents
The third day of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand ended with both teams sharing the equation. After bundling out the Virat Kohli-led side for 217, the Black Caps started pretty steadily, with openers Tom Latham and Devin Conway made Indian bowlers run for their money.
Latham and Conway showed spectacular grit and stood tall against the top-quality Indian pace attack featuring the likes of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah. The duo didn’t score many runs but firmed their respective ends and passed out the challenging spells.
Following the history, when the Indian team couldn’t make the initial breakthrough, captain Kohli gave the ball to his star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who also took his time to draw the first blood. Ashwin dismissed set ba🍬tsman Latham in the 35th over when the batter tried to play the cover drive but ended up finding a fielder at short-cover. Latham scored 30 runs from 104 deliveries, including three boundaries.
After Latham’s dismissal, Conway and Kiwi captain Kane Williamson to𝔉ok charge to form another strong stand. Conway showed immense patience, which rewarded him in the 44th over when🧜 he smashed the first fifty of the match.
The left-handed batter flicked a ball 🎀off Bumrah to pick three runs and reached the spe🐼cial feat. But little did he know that his trademark flick shot would become the reason for his dismissal.
It all happened in the 49th over bowled by veteran seamer Ishant Sharma. The right-armer bowled around the pads, and Conway flicked the ball, but it went straight to mid-on where Shami was stationed. Shami made no mistake as he stretched himself to grab the catch to give India a reason to finish the day with heads high. New Zealand posted 101/2 on the scoreboard with Williamson and Ross Taylor at the crease.
Earlier, India were packed at 217, courtesy of Kyle Jamieson’s splendid bowling. Jamieson picked up the fifth fifer of his Test career and dominated the proceedings in the first session. For India, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane made 49 o꧃ff 117 balls, whilꦿe Kohli scored 44 from 132 deliveries.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Today the average run rate for the whole day has been 2.27, but inspite of that what a riveting days test cricket, the ebbs and flows . Classic test cricket , with the ball dominating the bat thanks to proper Englis꧑h conditions .
— DK (@DineshKarthik)
Have to say is bringing the conceꦬpt of “spinners 𓃲buying wickets” back into vogue
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07)
India need to come back strongly iไn this test match after a day that belonged entirely to New Zealand. There is enough time left in this game for a result.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
🇮🇳 strike at the stroke of Stumps on Day 3️⃣
Ishant picks half-centurion Conway 👌🏻
New Zealand 🇳🇿 lose 2️⃣ wickets
Day 4️⃣ promises to be an exciting one tomorrow
Scorecard 👉
— BCCI (@BCCI)
Most runs by a New Zealand player in first 5 men's Test innings of career:-
360 – Devon Conway in 2021
314 – Stewie Dempster in 1930
312 – James Neesham in 2014Until today, Stewie Dempster was the only player at top of this list throughout New Zealand's Test history.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Stumps, Day 3️⃣: Conway's dismissal just before bad light stopped play means 🇮🇳 will be raring to go tomorrow morning! 💪🏼
📸 BCCI
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders)
A late 🦹strike for Ishant will keep the spirits high in the Indian camp on a day that belonged to New Zealand.
It will ꦕbe an important day for the bowlers tomorrow 💪
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan)
🏟️🏏 STUMPS, DAY 3 • and have gi𝓰ven us a much-needed breather by dismissing the NZ openers in the fin꧅al session 🤝🏻
Let's come back stronger to break through the rest of the unit tomorrow, lads 🇮🇳
📷 Getty •
— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy)
Ishant strike🍌s just at the stroke of 🐻Stumps to help end the day on a high 💪
🇳🇿 are 101/2, trailing by 116. What's going to happen on Day 4?
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL)
How much India would have wanted that last 30 mins. 101-2 could easily be 4. That’s the beauty of Test cricket.
Let’s enjoy and be patient whenever we♒ get play tomorrow. There is a lot lot lot left.— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar)
So annoying to lose that last half hour. This is cricket befitting of a World Cup Final. The world’s best😼 two teams battling in exceptionally challenging conditions. The low run rate is testament to how hard each team is being made to work for runs.
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket)
New Zealand lose🌠 their openers in the final session as they go to stumps on 101/2, trailing India by 116 runs. Final🌄 | |
— ICC (@ICC)
