New Zealand on top

Of who, you say? Of India. The Kiwis declared at 619/9 on the second day of the Napier test. Among their significant achievers:

• Jesse Ryder, scoring his maiden double century, but then getting out on the very next ball, trying to hit a wide ball. Such is life. And notice how he no longer gets posts devoted entirely to him? It means I am making progress in the department of treating him like any other NZer.
• Brendon McCullum had a good day too, not out on 103 when NZ declared.
• James Franklin, who was run out on 52.
• Dan Vettori hit 43, and bizarrely decided to declare without hitting 7 more runs.

Jesse Ryder's 201 is the 3rd highest individual score a Kiwi has achieved against India. Graham Dowling rounds out the best with a 238 in 1968, and Bert Sutcliffe comes next with 230 n.o. in a 1955 match.

Quite an achievement.