India-New Zealand Test evenly poised

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged five wickets to throw the second and final Test against New Zealand wide open on the third day in Bangalore on Sunday. Ashwin finished with 5-69, his fifth haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings, as New Zealand reached 232-9 in their second innings at stumps for an overall lead of 244. New Zealand paceman Tim Southee earlier grabbed a maiden seven-wicket haul as India were bowled out for 353 in their first innings in the morning in reply to the tourists’ 365. The 23-year-old finished with 7-64, the best by a New Zealander in a Test innings in India. New Zealand were struggling at 140-5 before James Franklin (41) and Kruger van Wyk (31) added 55 crucial runs for the sixth wicket. Ashwin struck vital blows when he had Franklin stumped and then trapped van Wyk lbw before accounting for Southee in the last session.