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Gambhir lays path for series win

AFP, Wellington
Opener Gautam Gambhir scored a magnificent 167 to close the door on New Zealand's faint hopes of saving the series in the third and deciding cricket Test here Sunday.
India were 531 runs ahead of New Zealand and had reached 349 for five in their second innings when bad light stopped play on the third day at the Basin Reserve.
Gambhir and Rahul Dravid ended any hopes of a New Zealand comeback by putting on 170 runs in a second-wicket partnership which ended soon after lunch with Dravid's dismissal for a patient 60.
But after the cheap dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar for nine -- much to dismay of the Indian fans — veteran WS Laxman joined Gambhir to add another 106 runs for the fourth wicket.
The tourists lead the series 1-0 and need only a draw from this final Test to ensure their first series win in New Zealand since 1968, with only weather likely to save New Zealand from a heavyloss.
New Zealand have been on the back foot since Saturday, when they were dismissed cheaply for 197 in reply to India's first innings total of 379.
The 27-year-old Gambhir batted for nearly seven hours for his sixth Test century, hitting 16 fours and two sixes in a nearly faul tess display.
He brought up his hundred by stroking Tim Southee through the covers for a boundary in the second over after lunch and smashed the next ball through the gully for another four.
Despite his brilliant performance, Gambhir hung his head in frustration as he trudged from the field after being dismissed.
"I thought it would be very special if I could get a double hundred in New Zealand — overseas,” he said afterwards. "I was very disappointed, I wanted to get a double hundred."
But he knows he has set up his side for victory and said India's plan was to extend their lead to 600 early Monday and aim to get New Zealand out within the remaining five sessions.
"I think if we can set New Zealand over 600 runs, they are going to be out of this Test match and they will only be playing to survive rather than winning," he said.
"If we can't get them out in five sessions, then we don’t deserve to win thisTest match."
New Zealand had a grim day in blustery conditions in the field, although their heads lifted briefly when captain and left- arm spinner Daniel Vettori captured two wickets in the eight overs after lunch.
Vettori toiled on from one end through the afternoon without further reward but the decision to introduce the new ball 10 overs after tea brought instant results.
Iain O 'Brien took the vital wicket of Gambhir in the first over of his new spell, trapping him lbw after a slightly angled shortish ball straightened on the batsman.
O'Brien struck again in his next over with an in-swinging ball of good length going between Laxman's bat and pad to smash into the stumps. Earlier, India had dominated the morning session as Gambhir and Dravid put on 119 runs without loss after resuming in the morning at 51 for one.
Opener Virender Sehwag had been the only wicket to fall late Saturday after scoring 12 in his trademark high-risk style.
New Zealand's only chance of getting back into the match was to take several early wickets but Gambhir and Dravid were rarely troubled.
They brought up their 150 partnership in the second-to-last over before lunch, with Gambhir taking the lead and Dravid generally content to play the anchor role.
But Dravid, the veteran batsman nicknamed The Wall, brought up his 57th half century in uncharacteristically flamboyant style, hitting Southee for consecutive fours behind square and through mid-wicket.
India's charge slowed in the afternoon after Dravid's dismissal, which was down to an inspired piece of anticipation by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum. The wicketkeeper saw Dravid was shaping for a paddle-sweep shot offVettori and moved quickly across to the leg side, where he was in a perfect position to take the catch as a bemused Dravid looked on.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was not out 16 and Yuvraj Singh was on 15 at stumps.
SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard at close on the third day of the third and final Test between New Zealand and India at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Sunday: INDIA: First innings 379 (Tendulkar 62, Harbhajan 60, Dhoni 52; Martin 4-98, O'Brien2-89).
NEW ZEALAND: First innings 197 (Taylor 42, McIntosh 32; Zaheer 5-65, Harbhajan 3-43) INDIA: Second innings (over-night51 fori)
Gambhir lbw b O'Brien 167 SehwagcTaylorb Martin 12 Dravid c McCullum bVettori 60
Tendulkar cTaylor bVettori 9 Laxman b O’Brien 61
Yuvraj not out 15
Dhoni not out 16
Extras: (lb-5, nb-4) 9
Total: (For 5 wkts in 97.5 overs) 349
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-184, 3-208,4-314,5-319.
To bat: Harbhajan, Zaheer, Sharma, Patel.
Bowler O M R W
Southee 12 2 58 0
Martin 15.5 5 50 1
O'Brien 22 6 77 2
Franklin 13 3 50 0
Ryder 6 1 21 0
Vettori 29 4 88 2