NZ declare at 324, Latham and Williamson tune up with fifties

Mumbai 29 for 1 trail New Zealanders 324 for 7 dec (Latham 55, Williamson 50) by 295 runs
Scorecard

Successful overseas batsmen in India have often been successful by lofting the ball over the infield. Even in the days of in-and-out fields, when Alastair Cook scored 562 runs including three hundreds in 2012-13, the most runs by a visiting batsman in a four-Test series in India, he relied on the lofted shots both for runs and also to get rid of the close-in fielders. On their first day of play on the Indian tour, New Zealand batsmen used the loft liberally to suggest it will be the shot they will go to often in the Tests.

Albeit on a non-threatening track against a non-threatening attack, New Zealanders made their intent clear as everybody apart from Martin Guptill got a hit in in their score of 324 for 7 declared. There was no hanging about either as they gave Mumbai 13 overs to play before stumps, and took a wicket during that period. The declaration gave them a good chance of having a proper second innings.

Two of the wickets were retirements to allow others a chance to bat. Incidentally, the two who gave up their batting, Tom Latham and BJ Watling, were the ones who batted at a more sedate pace. Apart from the two, and Henry Nicholls, everybody struck at more than 70. Apart from Guptill, who scored 15, everybody crossed 20, including fifties from Kane Williamson and Latham. Targets in particular were the spinners, whose 49 overs were taken for 230 runs. Two of these spinners were part-timers, and two others yet to make their first-class debuts.

Another heartening news for New Zealand will be that their lower order and lower-middle order - crucial on raging turners - was among the runs. Watling looked comfortable in his 21, Mitchell Santner and Mark Craig ran away to 45 and 33 not out, and Ish Sodhi scored a slightly streakier 29.

Every batsman that faced spin played the lofted shot early in the innings. That leaves out Guptill, who got out even before spin came on, but he had started the day with a hooked six in the first over of the match. A Mumbai attack missing its spearhead Shardul Thakur and with left-arm spinner Vishal Dabholkar - average of 31 - as its best spinner was then punished. Williamson stepped out repeatedly to loft Dabholkar over mid-on. He went back to taking singles once the fielder was pushed to long-on, but went aerial again as soon as Dabholkar called the fielder back up. Latham once swept Dabholkar for four from way outside the off stump. The intent - on a friendly surface against friendly bowlers - was clear.

Balwinder Sandhu, with healthy swing but at a gentle pace, was the only shining light for Mumbai. He got the wickets of Guptill and Williamson in the first session with outswingers. As the day wore on, though, Mumbai made more and more use of spinners. Ross Taylor made use of the cut shot before lofting legspinner Parikshit Valsangkar into the sightscreen. Facing his first over of spin, Nicholls came down the wicket to loft left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil for two fours. Santner did the same to Gohil as soon as he came out to bat. Craig reserved the same treatment for Dabholkar.

New Zealand had just one three-day warm-up game to get used to the conditions before going into the first Test in Kanpur. As has become the norm world over, the hosts did them no favours by giving them a pitch that looks nothing like the raging turners that teams expect in India nowadays. Also they had a second-string Mumbai side to face with their best players playing for India A in Australia. New Zealanders' success with their ploy of using their feet and the lofted shots needs to be seen in that light, but one thing was clear: they showed enough signs they are not here to play passive cricket, which South Africa, at times, might have been accused of in India's last home season.