New Zealand scored 118/7 thanks largely to a fine innings of 60 off 28 balls by Brendon McCullum.

Sachin Tendulkar threatened to undo the innings when taking three for 40 off three overs, and five for 55 in the match.

New Zealand swapped Chris Nevin for McCullum as opening batsman to partner Nathan Astle, but the Indians looked better prepared for the onslaught in the second innings and bowled a much better length and it was halfway through the second over before New Zealand had wiped off the 10-run deficit.

Then Astle got himself out, trying to guide a ball from Ajit Agarkar over extra cover, but he wasn't quite able to get it over the leaping Bangar and was gone having scored only 12.

The situation was compounded for New Zealand in the third over when McMillan chased a wider ball from Zaheer Khan and pulled it back onto his stumps to be bowled for two.

Skipper Cairns joined McCullum, and they needed to get a big stand going to give New Zealand a reasonable target to bowl to in India's second innings.

McCullum went for his shots and hit one pull shot for six runs off Agarkar and then had a cover drive ruled four after the third umpire was asked whether the boundary rope had been touched in the fielding of the ball - it had.

After four overs, New Zealand's lead was only 26.

Yohannan showed an ideal length yet again in the fifth over and New Zealand could take only six runs with Cairns hitting a fine off-drive for four.

That man Tendulkar got right back in the action when bowling the sixth over, and having Cairns caught on the long on boundary for only seven runs scored off seven balls. But next ball, McCullum put his foot down the pitch and blasted the ball from Tendulkar for six over the Max zone to score 12.

The scoring did dry up completely as Yohannan worked his magic again and he had his reward when Scott Styris tried to blast his way out of inaction only to be caught at third man.

Yohannan completed his spell of four overs, two in each innings, with the marvellous figures of two for 20.

Tendulkar enticed Jacob Oram from his crease and he was stumped for a duck to leave New Zealand at 65/5 and with the batsmen unable to penetrate the Indian field settings only five runs came off the table.

Two big shots pulled high into the West Stand from Sehwag's bowling by McCullum gave the innings a lift, but the loss of Andre Adams when attempting a third run, from a deflection by a fielder into the Max zone could have been costly. However, Tama Canning came in and hit a six when field Murali Karthik toppled over the boundary for six runs to be scored.

He took another six from the second ball of Tendulkar's next over. McCullum was caught in the Max zone off the last ball of the innings for 60 off 28 balls, as New Zealand finished with 118/7.

He took to Super Max as if he was a veteran during his first experience of it in the National Bank tour opener for India against New Zealand at Jade Stadium in Christchurch tonight.

He hit a sparkling 72 off 27 balls to give the New Zealanders a reminder that class is permanent no matter the type of game being played.

His innings helped India take a 10-run first innings advantage over New Zealand.

India's first look at fast man Shane Bond didn't pose too many problems to Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, India's highly-potent opening pair. With Bond also struggling for his rhythm, conceding three runs for wides, the pair were able to put Bond's speed to good use to power the ball to the boundary, especially in the vicinity of third man.

They took 16 runs from the first over.

Jacob Oram was entrusted with the ball from the other end and using his height to good advantage was able to pin the pair down. One powerful slash by Tendulkar to backward point landed just inside the boundary and left a dent in a sponsor's car parked on the boundary.

Bond looked happier in his second over and generated some lively speed to whip the ball past Sehwag's bat and then when he did connect next ball, a superb diving catch by Andre Adams, who had to make a good deal of ground to his right, ended his innings for nine off seven balls.

Tendulkar was unable to score off the last two balls and Bond had conceded only five runs and India were 30/1 after three overs.

Tama Canning made his international debut and found himself face to face with one of cricket's legends, and Sachin Tendulkar soon showed him why. With only one run off his first three balls Canning must have thought he was cruising.

But two lofted straight drives by Tendulkar put paid to that. The first was a Max four for eight runs, and the second a lovely lofted drive for a Max six worth 12. Twenty-five runs came from the over and India were back in the hunt.

Tendulkar welcomed the change of of ends by Oram by smashing the ball, in the way only he can, to all points of the ground. Another 25 runs were taken from the over, and Tendulkar had his half-century off only 20 balls.

Canning was much less costly in his second over and gave up only 11 runs as Shiv Sunder Das took time to settle in his innings. But once he got his sights set, he took to Andre Adams hitting three successive fours, one each backward and forward of point and one to fine leg as 15 runs were taken from the over.

Paul Hitchcock was introduced for the eighth over and a fine piece of fielding by Brendon McCullum cut off a certain four and then off the next ball Tendulkar moved to leg to try and drive again but had the ball take the outside edge and fly straight to wicket-keeper Chris Nevin. Tendulkar's 72 was scored off 27 balls.

However, skipper for the night V V S Laxman took boundaries from the first two balls he received, and after a single, Das took another boundary. India, were within two of New Zealand's score with two overs left!

Adams struck a good blow with the first ball of the ninth over by bowling Laxman for his nine. He then picked up the wicket of Das, bowling him for 25 off 13 balls. India then moved ahead of New Zealand off the last ball of the over, but only three runs had been conceded.

Hitchcock bowled two wides and then had Das caught at long-off by McCullum as New Zealand managed to slow the pace. Only nine runs came from the last over.

A 72-run, second-wicket partnership between Nathan Astle (42) and Craig McMillan (34) was the key to the innings.

Zaheer Khan ran in and must have wondered just what lay ahead of him. New Zealand opener Chris Nevin didn't wait around to tell him as a full-pitched ball was driven in classical mode through the cover field to the boundary.

The second ball, a wild slash to the third man boundary was more in keeping with the excesses required of Super Max. Nevin took a single from the next ball.

Nathan Astle decided to let the first ball he received go, while the second was a wide. Astle then indulged himself with a high slash which flew well over first slip's head for four runs. The first over ended with New Zealand having taken 15 runs from it. Ajit Agarkar bowled the second over and must have been reasonably happy after the first five balls had only gone for four runs. But he dropped one a fraction short to Nevin. He went for the hook, but swung the bat hard enough so that his miscued shot flew hit, straight behind him to drop just over the boundary for six.

It didn't take Khan long to learn the value of precise length and line and in his second over, Astle took a single while Nevin, looking to move things along, attempted another powerful chopping block shot to third man, where Tinu Yohannan didn't have to move to take the catch right on the rope.

Nevin had scored 18 off 10 balls and New Zealand were 26/1.

McMillan played a sweet back cut for four off the first ball he received, but the action really hotted up in Agarkar's second over, the fourth. Astle plainly felt he had his eye in and he flicked a ball nearly off his hip to the mid-wicket boundary. Then an off-drive fairly sizzled across the ground to the boundary to show that Astle was feeling completely in charge.

Just for good measure, he charged Agarkar's final ball, stopped, and then unleashed a delightful cover drive for four. Seventeen runs came off the over and New Zealand were 48/1.

McMillan welcomed Sanjay Bangar to the bowling action by taking four leg byes, and then lofting six runs over long off, a shot he followed with a move conservative drive along the ground for four. Another 17 runs came from the complete over to have New Zealand well-placed for a genuine assault in the last five overs from 63/1.

Yohannan, who came in for the sixth over showed that he had been advised in the game's laws when after conceding a no-ball, he then bowled another bouncer which Astle wasn't able to get away in his free hit.

Left-arm spin bowler Murali Kartik was entrusted with the job of backing up Yohannan's fine effort in yielding only six runs.

But Astle put paid to those hopes with the first Max hit of the game, a sweetly-timed six over the sightscreen which was doubled in value to 12. When McMillan faced after a quick single was taken, he hit the first ball he received for six over covers. Kartik had 23 taken from his over. New Zealand were 94/1 after seven overs.

Yohannan with his Michael Holding-like run-up to the crease showed an impressive understanding of the virtues of accuracy and had his reward in his second over, the eighth, by conceding only singles before moving wider on the crease and slipping a ball through Astle's defences to bowl him for 42 scored off 23 balls. New Zealand were 98/2.

Then came the clash of two of the game's current greats, Chris Cairns, who took a single off the last ball of Yohannan's over, and Sachin Tendulkar.

Cairns wasted no time putting the first ball he received well into the crowd behind the mid-wicket boundary. He tried to repeat the shot but only skied the next ball high to mid-wicket where Virender Sehwag was unfazed by the ball steepling towards him and then dropping nicely into his hands right on the boundary. New Zealand were 105/3.

Tendulkar's golden touch was revealed again when he added Craig McMillan to his haul, bowling him for 34 scored off 18 balls.

It was left to Jacob Oram and Scott Styris to boost the scoring in the last over with Sehwag given the bowling honours.

However, there was a good response from India. They picked up Oram's wicket, well caught by Laxman at wide mid-wicket while the scored ended on 123/5.

It was hoped the conditions would be warmer, after a glorious day yesterday, but misty cloud has hung over the city all day today and while the outfield is dry, the evening will be a cool one.

New Zealand captain Chris Cairns has won the toss and decided to bat first, clearly in an attempt to take full use of the Indians lack of knowledge of Super Max cricket.

The Indians are being captained tonight by V V S Laxman, as tour skipper Sourav Ganguly is not playing while Rahul Dravid, Ashish Nehra and Harbhajan Singh have also been left out. Harbhajan has been suffering a virus since arriving in New Zealand.

The match is the first home international appearance by local all-rounders Chris Cairns and Andre Adams, both having suffered injuries during the year. Cairns damaged a knee during the first Test against England at Jade Stadium in February while Adams suffered a stress fracture in his back in Pakistan in April/May.

It is also the first time since his startling world record double century for Nathan Astle.

The game is being played on the ground's natural pitch block, and not one of the drop in pitches that has been developed here.

The teams are:

New Zealand: Chris Cairns (captain), Nathan Astle, Chris Nevin, Craig McMillan, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram, Andrew Adams, Tama Canning, Shane Bond, Paul Hitchcock, Chris Harris (specialist fielder). Brendon McCullum will open with Astle in the second innings.

India: V V S Laxman (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Shiv Sunder Das, Mohammad Kaif, Sanjay Bangar, Ajay Ratra, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Murali Karthik, Tinu Yohannan. Parthiv Patel (12th man).