Unlikely duo haul India towards safety

Vangipurappu Laxman and Harbhajan Singh bailed India out of a tight situation in their second innings with an unbeaten partnership against New Zealand on the last day of the opening test on Monday.

Laxman was on 90 and Singh on 93 after lunch.

Resuming on a precarious 82 for six, Laxman and Harbhajan took the hosts to 164 for six for an overall lead of 192, at lunch.

A fiery spell of fast bowling by Chris Martin had reduced India to 15 for five on Sunday, and it required a dogged innings from the dependable Laxman to arrest the collapse.

Harbhajan was extremely positive throughout as he brought up his second half-century of the match, to add to his career-best 69 in the first innings.

He danced down the wicket to pacer Chris Martin and reverse swept the spinners, to hit six fours and a huge six in his knock.

The New Zealand bowlers, handicapped by injuries to Hamish Bennett and Jesse Ryder, were unlucky as they found a number of edges only to watch them land short of the fielders.