Twenty-two wickets have so far fallen today in a day of batting carnage.

India bowled New Zealand out for 94 and then succumbed a second time as Daryl Tuffey and Jacob Oram did the damage for New Zealand.

On a day of statistical co-incidences, in which both team's first innings took 38.2 overs while Oram and Tuffey took four for 41 each in the second innings.

New Zealand's non-use of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori meant he didn't bowl a ball in the series, despite having played in both Test matches. Rahul Dravid was a key wicket for New Zealand. He looked well capable of giving India an even better base than that it achieved. He was working the ball well, not taking too many risks when the temptation of a ball from Jacob Oram just wide of off stump got the better of him.

It was a common failing among the batsmen of both teams on a day that did nothing for the Test match virtues of application, concentration and determination.

Dravid flailed a cut shot but didn't quite get the placement he wanted and substitute fieldsman Michael Mason at square point was able to make the catch with some ease. India were 130/7.

One run later Zaheer Khan tried to pull a ball from Oram that rose on him and he could only sky the ball high to the gully where Nathan Astle ran across from second slip to take the catch.

Harbhajan Singh proved a puzzle for the New Zealanders after his unorthodox first innings, but he played much more normally this time, only occasionally playing the out-of-the-ordinary shot.

It didn't matter too much as Tuffey peppered him with some shorter balls, and eventually he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and a steepling ball kissed his gloves and was taken by Hart to dismiss him for 18.

Ashish Nehra decided to hit out in a last show of resistance and was especially severe on Jacob Oram.

But Oram had the final say with a rising ball that took the edge and gave Robbie Hart his third catch of the innings.

India were looking to build on their five-run first innings advantage, this despite being dismissed for 99, and Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were looking ominous. Tendulkar was growing in confidence and starting to play some of his best strokes, especially square of the wicket.

But he attempted a drive to a slightly wider ball from Tuffey and dragged the ball back onto his stumps ending a 49-run stand with Dravid. Tuffey went to a rest with three wickets for 28 runs from his 11 overs.

Sourav Ganguly played a lovely cover drive to the boundary but then got a rising ball from Jacob Oram and while he snicked the ball behind it still took a lovely diving catch to his left by wicket-keeper Robbie Hart.

India were 64/4.

When drinks were taken India had reached 96/5. Dravid playing a key innings and was unbeaten on 32.

Earlier, Parthiv Patel was asked to open the innings to allow the more free-scoring Virender Sehwag the chance to play his shots down the order. However, Patel fared no better being bowled off his gloves in Daryl Tuffey's first over.

Sanjay Bangar was caught and bowled by Tuffey for seven.

Fleming made a double bowling change being back Shane Bond, and then giving Nathan Astle his first over.

Off the first ball, Astle bowled Laxman with a ball that did just enough to get through the defences and send him on his way for four.

Sehwag emerged and quickly got into scoring stride and when drinks were taken a few minutes later he already had 11 runs.

They were attempting to restore some cricketing sanity to a match that wobbled all over the place during the first half of the third day of this weather-affected match.

India were 40/2 at the tea break.

India, who were all out for 99 seven balls into the day, took a first innings advantage of five runs into their second innings after Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh had embarrassed New Zealand in the immediate post-lunch session with six wickets falling for 94 runs.

While the pitch has been a partial player in the low scoring, some abysmal stroke play has also contributed.

India were rocked early in their second innings when losing Parthiv Patel, who had been promoted to open in place of Virender Sehwag, for one in Daryl Tuffey's first over. It was another to his amazing of first over successes.

Then two overs later he took a simple caught and bowled chance from Sanjay Bangar to dismiss him for seven. India were 8/2 at that point.

However, Dravid and Tendulkar weathered the storm and Tendulkar especially has started to play his shots. Both have been putting their batting techniques into action to cope with the slightly easier conditions. They are the key to this match for India.

Should they build a partnership of significance they will turn the pressure back on New Zealand and there may yet be a chance to draw the series.

Tendulkar is unbeaten on 19 at the tea break while Dravid was 11 not out. Tuffey had two wickets for 10 runs from his six overs.

New Zealand were dismissed for 94 following an abject collapse after the lunch break as six wickets fell for 34 runs.

Zaheer Khan achieved a career-best five for 29, improving on the five for 53 he secured at Wellington last week. He was in fine touch and produced a superb demonstration of medium-fast bowling.

India could claim a world record for their performance. It was the first time a team batting first had been dismissed for less than 100, and then taken a first innings lead.

The previous lowest score for a first innings lead occurred at Sydney in 1887/88 when England made 113 and Australia replied with 42.

On no other occasion have both teams scored less than 100 in taking a first innings lead.

The closest was at the Oval in 1890 when Australia made 92 and England replied with 100.

Twelve wickets have so far fallen in the day.

New Zealand's demise was not helped when captain Stephen Fleming was distracted by movement near the northern sightscreen at the ground which took a considerable period of time to resolve. Once it was he sent the first ball he received straight back to bowler Zaheer Khan for a caught and bowled dismissal for 21 runs.

More bad news awaited him when he lost four runs that had been erroneously added to his score and ruled to have been leg byes.

What followed was a sad trail of poor shot selection.

Jacob Oram went down the track to loft off-spinner Harbhajan Singh but failed to put full power into the shot and lobbed a catch to mid-off where Sachin Tendulkar took an easy catch.

Scott Styris got himself leg before wicket to Harbhajan for 13 while Robbie Hart was well trapped by Khan for three.

There was some classy defiance from Daryl Tuffey with a lovely back foot cover drive and then a swept six, both off Harbhajan before he was turned back by Vettori in the next over and was just short of his ground.

Vettori then edged a simple chance to second slip where V V S Laxman held the chance.

Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra each took two wickets, bowling from the northern end of the ground with a slight breeze at their back and some useful swing.

They routed the top-order New Zealand batting to give their side some hope of not being too far apart from the home team when they start their second innings.

New Zealand went to lunch on 60/4 with Stephen Fleming on 21 and Scott Styris on nine, 39 runs behind India.

New Zealand had earlier knocked over India's two remaining wickets in seven balls to dismiss the tourists for 99. Shane Bond took another wicket to end with four for 39 while Jacob Oram ended with two for 22.

It was a disappointing effort for three of the New Zealanders, Lou Vincent, Craig McMillan and Nathan Astle. The first two were both dismissed to edges at first slip where Rahul Dravid took the catches, McMillan the more guilty of the pair having played an extravagant drive which was not really appropriate to the circumstances.

Astle faced only two balls, and failed to appreciate the trap set for him at backward point where he thrashed the ball to Harbhajan Singh who didn't have to move an inch to complete the catch.

Mark Richardson was unluckiest. He was given out leg before wicket to Khan. He didn't offer a shot but was well forward. In the previous Khan over, Stephen Fleming was hit leg before wicket and amazingly he survived a shout for leg before wicket deserving of a different result than umpire Daryl Harper gave it.

Fleming, who had started in reasonably attacking touch, suddenly found himself needing to withdraw into more of a holding action while he and Scott Styris attempted to regain some of the initiative before the lower-order was exposed.

Khan ended the session with two wickets for 16 runs while Nehra had two for 20.

Both openers Lou Vincent and Mark Richardson were out by the time the morning session drinks break was taken. New Zealand were 39/2.

Vincent departed for three when the score was 11 having nibbled at a ball from Zaheer Khan that straightened slightly on him, sending a catch at head height to first slip Rahul Dravid.

New Zealand were 11/1 with his dismissal.

The Indian bowlers were accurate enough with Khan, especially, utilising the swing that was about.

Tinu Youhannan came into the attack in place of Agit Agarkar and bowled tidily through his first spell of five overs to concede 14 runs.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming joined Mark Richardson, who had applied himself in typical grafting fashion, and took four off his legs from Khan to open his scoring. He followed that immediately with four through mid-wicket.

But when he was 16, Fleming survived a huge shout for leg before wicket. Television evidence showed that Khan and India were desperately unlucky not to get a positive response from umpire Daryl Harper and Fleming, who yesterday said some luck would be needed by the team that wins the game, had the good luck on this occasion.

However, in his next over, Khan did get Richardson, to a less likely appeal with the batsman further down the pitch, although he did not play a shot. New Zealand were 39/2 with Richardson, having driven two straight boundaries.

Khan had taken two for 12 from his 7.1 overs when Richardson was dismissed.

Off the third ball of the day, Parthiv Patel attempted to swing a ball down to fine leg but gloved a rising ball from Jacob Oram behind to wicket-keeper Robbie Hart. Patel had grafted hard during the latter overs of play yesterday and had batted for 69 minutes when dismissed for eight.

Ashish Nehra wasted making no time in getting into action. The first ball of the day bowled by Shane Bond was despatched with a sweetly-timed shot over backward square leg for six runs.

However, a fuller ball next delivery saw Nehra offer a low edge in the direction of first slip where Stephen Fleming picked up the catch low to his left.

It was his 111th Test catch and took him past Bob Simpson and Walter Hammond to eighth place on the all-time catching list.

Oram finished with two for 22 and Bond four for 39.