Baz keeps away the 4th day blues

Day 4 at Hyderabad

Wow. Another good day of test cricket from NZ, keeping India on their toes and making a mockery of expectations. Though, once again, the kiwis dropped their guard towards the end thus falling short of making it a perfect day's play.

This still represents a major turnaround after Harbhajan Singh's century dented their plans and destroyed the morale. Great to see various members of the team stepping up so far, and today it was McCullum's turn. At 126*, his innings has been the perfect mix of calculated aggression and judicious defence - why doesn't he play this way more in one-day cricket? Anyway, those of us who pushed for his inclusion at the top of the order can feel vindicated. More of the same tomorrow please, Baz.

I've gradually been won over by Tim McIntosh ever since his studied 83 in the Wellington test against the Aussies earlier this year. Today he had all but parked himself at the wicket and a long day of batting beckoned, but Taufel unfortunately sent him on his way. Mark Richardson, with whom Timmy Mac shares a thing or two in common, has written a good little piece in the Herald about him which pretty much covers it.

NZ aren't out of jail yet. At 237 for 4, this mirrors their situation at the end of day 1 (258 for 4, though thankfully they haven't used Hopkins as a night-watchman). Zaheer Khan will be back tomorrow and his spell in the first session will be absolutely vital in determining the course of the final day. There's the new ball at India's disposal too. If NZ fold up in the first session or so, the game is well and truly India's with 200 to get. I'm picking the draw.