New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori salutes his century against India on the 1st day of the 1st International cricket test at Seddon Park, Hamilton, New Zealand, Wednesday, March 18, 2009.
(AP Photo/NZPA, Ross Setford)

HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) - Daniel Vettori and Jesse Ryder made centuries and combined in a record seventh-wicket partnership as New Zealand mounted a spirited comeback to reach 279 after being sent in to bat Wednesday on the first day of the first cricket test against India.

India was 29 without loss after seven overs in reply at stumps with Virender Sehwag on 22 and Gautam Gambhir unbeaten on 6.

Vettori and Ryder’s partnership of 186 was a record for the seventh wicket for New Zealand against India, and lifted the hosts from a perilous 60 for six prior to lunch to a position close to parity by the end of the opening day.

The 118 was Vettori’s third and best century in test matches, his second on his home ground of Seddon Park where he made a maiden hundred against Pakistan six years ago. He reached it in 179 minutes, from 139 balls, with 13 fours and a six, providing a new archetype of cricket’s classic captain’s knock.

"Obviously when I came out I was mindful of how difficult it was," he said. "I guess there had been a bit of misreading of the wicket. I thought we might be able to scrap through to 150 but fortunately Jesse and I batted well and we were able to get a competitive score."

The New Zealand captain batted in total for 197 minutes, hitting another four and a six before he was out, caught down legside by rival captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Munaf Patel in the 71st over.

Ryder was 13 when Vettori came to the wicket but quickly settled into a supporting role with his captain, who scored more freely and gave the innings a rising sense of authority. He was 70, having posted his fourth consecutive half century in test innings, when Vettori reached his hundred.

On Vettori’s dismissal, which was followed one ball later by the dismissal of Kyle Mills, Ryder stepped up his scoring and reached his maiden test hundred in 270 minutes from 160 balls with 13 fours.

Ryder surpassed his previous highest test score at 89 and also moved smoothly into the 90s, taking singles and confidently offering the strike to No. 10 batsman Iain O’Brien.

However, there was drama when O’Brien was out, stumped by Dhoni off Harbhajan Singh in the 78th over, when Ryder was 98. O’Brien’s dismissal brought to the wicket Chris Martin, the gangly New Zealand fast bowler who has more ducks in test cricket than any other player.

Martin had to play out five balls from Harbhajan to return the strike to Ryder. He did so, as much by luck as design, thrusting a long leg toward the pitch of the ball, and a relieved Ryder smashed the first ball from Ishant Sharma’s next over for four to gain three figures. He was out next ball.

Zaheer and Sharma had earlier combined to wreck New Zealand’s top and middle order before lunch, sharing five of the first six wickets to fall as New Zealand faltered after losing the toss.

Zaheer claimed the first two wickets as New Zealand slumped to 17 for two, Sharma took the next three and third-seamer Patel a sixth to leave the home side 60-6 immediately prior to lunch.

Martin Guptill (14) and Daniel Flynn (0) fell to Zaheer then Tim McIntosh (12), Ross Taylor (18) and James Franklin (0) to Sharma, though Franklin was unlucky to be judged caught behind.

Rahul Dravid took a slip catch to remove Guptill which was his 181st catch in tests, equaling the world record held by Australia’s Mark Waugh. Dravid reached the mark in 243 innings over 132 tests while Waugh set in in 245 innings in 128 tests.

scoreboard

New Zealand, 1st Innings

T. McIntosh c Sehwag b Sharma 12

M. Guptill c Dravid b Zaheer 14

D. Flynn c Dhoni b Zaheer 0

R. Taylor b Sharma 18

J. Ryder c Laxman b Sharma 102

J. Franklin c Dhoni b Sharma 0

B. McCullum c Laxman b Patel 3

D. Vettori c Dhoni b Patel 118

K. Mills b Patel 0

I. O’Brien std Dhoni b Harbhajan 8

C. Martin not out 0

Extras: (1lb,3nb) 4

TOTAL: (all out) 279

Overs: 78.2

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-17, 3-40, 4-51, 5-51, 6-60, 7-246, 8-246, 9-275, 10-279.

Bowling: Khan 16-3-70-2 (2nb), Sharma 19.2-4-73-4, Patel 18-4-60-3, Harbhajan 22-7-57-1, Sehwag 3-0-18-0 (1w).

India, 1st Innings

G. Gambhir not out 6

V. Sehwag not out 22

Extras: (1b) 1

TOTAL: (without loss) 29

Overs: 7

Still to bat: M. S. Dhoni, S. Tendulkar, R. Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Y. Singh, H. Singh, Z. Khan, I. Sharma, M. Patel.

Bowling: Martin 4-1-9-0, Mills 2-0-18-0, O’Brien 1-0-1-0. Toss: India

Umpires: S. Taufel (Aus), I. Gould (Eng).

Match referee: A. Hurst (Aus).