New Zealand openers put up record stand

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By Kunal Pradhan

MOHALI, India (Reuters) - Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent utilised a flat wicket to put up a record 168-run unbeaten opening stand for New Zealand at tea on the first day of the second test against India on Thursday.

Vincent was on 80, with 10 fours and two sixes and Richardson on 62, with eight fours.

The previous first-wicket record for New Zealand against India, of 149, was set at Napier in 1988-89 by Trevor Franklin and John Wright.

India's only real chance of the morning was when left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan induced Richardson, on 10, to edge a ball that swung away late.

But captain Rahul Dravid, standing in for the injured Saurav Ganguly, dropped a regulation catch at first slip.

After that, it was all New Zealand as Richardson and Vincent piled on the agony with an array of shots to justify captain Stephen Fleming's decision to bat first.

The 24-year-old Vincent, batting with a runner briefly after being hit on the knee by a gentle seamer from Sachin Tendulkar, raised his seventh test 50 by coming down the track and lofting off-spinner Harbhajan Singh over long-on for a six.

Richardson emulated him in equally aggressive fashion, racing from 38 to 50 by driving Zaheer to the cover fence and then flicking his next two balls for fours through mid-wicket.

The first test at Ahmedabad ended in a draw last week.

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