AHMEDABAD: Fast bowler Chris Martin bagged a five-wicket haul as New Zealand staged a dramatic comeback on the fourth day of the first Test against India Sunday. Martin (5-25) polished off India's top-order in a sensational opening spell of 4-15 off nine overs, including six maidens, before returning to claim his fifth wicket towards the close at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. At stumps, India was reeling at 82-6, with Venkatsai Laxman (34) and Harbhajan Singh (12) the not out batsmen. India leads by 110 runs after bowling out the Black Caps for 459, an innings built around a patient debut century from 20-year-old Kane Williamson (131). Martin, 35, triggered a dramatic Indian collapse, getting rid of Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina inside the first 11 overs with just 15 runs on board. Gambhir, suffering a lean spell with the bat this year, was out for a duck, edging Martin behind off the third ball of the innings. Virender Sehwag, who top-scored with 173 in India's first-innings 487, was run out by substitute fielder Martin Guptill before Dravid was caught behind in Martin's third over. Tendulkar (12) failed to read an in-swinger and ended up getting a thick edge onto leg-stump. Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the fifth victim for Martin, who is seeking to revive his career after struggling last season. Martin's show was all the more remarkable as his injured pace partner Hamish Bennett did not come out to bowl. New Zealand was earlier boosted by Williamson, whose efforts with the bat restricted India's first-innings lead to 28 runs. The youngster hit 10 fours in his patient 299-ball knock and shared a stand of 86 for the sixth wicket with captain Daniel Vettori (41). After Williamson's dismissal on the stroke of lunch, India removed Vettori, Gareth Hopkins, Jeetan Patel and Hamish Bennett in quick succession. Raina had Vettori caught behind before left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha trapped Gareth Hopkins (14) plumb in front to finish with career-best figures of 4-107. Resuming on his overnight 87, Williamson struck Zaheer Khan for two fours to race to the 100-run mark, becoming the youngest and the eighth New Zealand batsman to score a century on debut. The baby-faced batsman celebrated the moment by raising his bat and helmet towards the dressing room, where his teammates gave him a standing ovation. Vettori achieved a personal milestone on 38, as he became the third all-rounder after Ian Botham of England and India's Kapil Dev to complete the Test double of 4,000 runs and 300 wickets. Williamson's marathon knock came to an end when he edged to Laxman at first slip off Ojha. England beats W. Australia England captain Andrew Strauss hit the first century of his team's Ashes cricket tour of Australia Sunday, steering it to a six-wicket win over Western Australia in a three-day warmup match. He scored his century from 131 balls and was 120 not out when England reached its winning target of 243 for the loss of just four wickets. Kevin Pietersen made 35, Paul Collingwood 26 and Ian Bell 22 not out from 18 balls. Earlier, Graeme Swann had figures of 4-101 as England dismissed Western Australia for 223 in its second innings after the home side led by 19 runs after the first innings. – Agence France
