WELLINGTON: The final session of the first day’s play in the opening Test between New Zealand and India at the Basin Reserve was washed out by heavy rain on Friday, giving the tourists time to regroup after they were reduced to 122-5 at tea. The rain swept in seconds after the players had left the field for the tea break and, despite the skies clearing, umpires Aleem Dar and Richard Kettlebrough ended play at about 5.30 p.m. (0430 GMT) after a pitch inspection.
New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Jamieson enjoyed a dream test debut, tormenting India’s batsmen and taking three wickets and a catch in the deep, stealing the headlines from Ross Taylor, who was playing his 100th Test. Ajinkya Rahane will resume on Saturday on 38 while the recalled Rishabh Pant will be with him on 10.
“From a team perspective we are in a pretty strong position,” Jamieson told reporters. “The game is quite advanced and we are pretty happy with where it is. “From my experience playing here the (wicket) usually holds that pace and bounce for a couple of days so I am sure there will still be a little bit tomorrow to help us and I’m looking forward to getting back out there.” The 2.03m tall Jamieson, who dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara (11) and the world’s top-ranked test batsmen Virat Kohli (two) before lunch, grabbed his third wicket when Hanuma Vihari edged the first ball after the mid-session drinks break to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.
Vihari’s dismissal for seven reduced India to 101-5. Jamieson also held a steepling catch at fine leg from a mistimed hook shot by opener Mayank Agarwal (34) off Trent Boult, who had dropped a difficult caught and bowled chance on the previous delivery. “As a batsman you never felt like you were completely in,” Agarwal said of the testing conditions and the pressure New Zealand’s bowlers were able to exert on their lineup. “They bowled good areas and kept testing us and didn’t give us anything loose. “Even after lunch it was doing a little bit.”
Jamieson was only making his Test debut because Neil Wagner withdrew from the squad as he awaited the birth of his first child. Wagner confirmed on social media that his daughter had been born on Wednesday. Tim Southee had bowled Prithvi Shaw for 16 early in the first session after Kane Williamson had won the toss and chosen to field on a green pitch. Taylor became the first cricketer to play 100 matches in all three formats and just the fourth New Zealander to achieve the 100-game milestone in tests. The second match of the two-Test series is in Christchurch from Feb. 29.