Laxman and Bajji stood once again on day3

India 436 for 9 (Harbhajan 85*, Laxman 74, Vettori 4-123) lead New Zealand 350 by 86 runs

India's lower-order batsman Harbhajan Singh produced a gritty knock of 85 not out Sunday to frustrate the New Zealand bowling attack and help India take an 86-run first innings lead in the second test with a wicket still in hand.

India was 436-9 at close on the third day in reply to New Zealand's 350 as Harbhajan Singh produced a third consecutive test score of above fifty.He has struck seven fours and five sixes off just 82 deliveries and added 69 runs with last-man Shantakumaran Sreesanth (14 not out).Harbhajan Singh carried on the good form with the bat, which earned him the man-of-the-match award in the first test for scores of 69 and 115. He once smashed Vettori for two consecutive sixes over long-on and retained most of the strike when batting with Sreesanth.If Harbhajan Singh played in the company of tail-enders, V.V.S. Laxman held together the middle-order despite little support from others.Laxman, who looked good for a century in his first test on home ground, was trapped lbw by Chris Martin immediately after tea for a well-compiled 74.Laxman struck 11 fours off 160 balls even as India was made to struggle hard for runs by the visiting side. He was involved in useful half-century stands with Rahul Dravid (45) and Suresh Raina (20) as India made slow progress in the first two sessions.Laxman and Dravid added 79 for the fourth wicket to bring the innings back on track after India had lost three wickets in the space of 24 runs starting from the second day when openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir fell in quick succession following a 160-run stand.

Laxman and Dravid were cautious after Sachin Tendulkar's dismissal and India scored only 59 runs before lunch. They were unable to get the ball away in the face of disciplined bowling by the Kiwis, who were successful in building pressure despite the pitch looking conducive for stroke-play.Dravid did not carry the confidence of having scored a century in the previous match, consuming 144 deliveries for his watchful 45. He hit only four boundaries before being trapped lbw by seamer Tim Southee a little after lunch as he played tentatively.Tendulkar was out early, looking off-color in the 10 deliveries he faced. He jumped out to Vettori, only to get a thick edge that went to the right of Ross Taylor at slip.Vettori bowled an immaculate line, forcing batsmen to take their chances against him. After opener Virender Sehwag perished to him on Saturday, Tendulkar and Suresh Raina played injudicious strokes in the first session Sunday, while Mahendra Singh Dhoni gave a catch at cover in trying to work the ball for a single.

Vettori got good support from Tim Southee, whose three-wicket haul included the important wicket of Rahul Dravid.

@Cricket Buzz