Brendan McCullum approaches triple-century as New Zealand build pressure on India ahead of final day of Second Test
McCullum rescued New Zealand after their poor showing in the first innings as he finishes day four on 281 not out
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Your support makes all the difference.Brendon McCullum continued to impress with the bat as he scored 281 not out as New Zealand built a solid second innings total on the fourth day of the second Test against India in Wellington.
New Zealand collapsed to 192 all out in the first innings, but a strong sixth-wicket partnership between McCullum and equally impressive BJ Watling (124) added 194 to their overnight 158-run stand without looking in trouble.
Captain McCullum became the first New Zealander to score back-to-back double centuries - and is just 19 runs off their first triple score - as the hosts, who were holding on to save this Test at the end of day three, reached 571 for six with a lead of 325 runs at stumps ahead of the final day.
India captain MS Dhoni decided to test the patience of the Black Caps batsmen, having spent most of the last afternoon waiting for a mistake, to his own frustration.
Dhoni attacked for about half an hour on the fourth morning, and - at one point - he asked Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami to bowl from round the stumps with a seven-two off-side field.
But the only chance created with India still in the game was by Zaheer Khan, midway through the first session.
The tourists had to wait until deep into the final session before taking the wicket of Watling and it was Shami that bowled him lbw as ended the longest innings by a New Zealand wicketkeeper.
That brought Jimmy Neesham to the crease and he piled on 67 runs alongside McCullum as they saw the day out with the loss of just one wicket to take a comfortable lead into the final day.
PA
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