The tourists appeared to have learnt from their first innings debacle. Improved conditions helped them a lot as openers Ajay Jadeja and Navjot Singh Sidhu notched up 54 runs without being separated in 13 overs after the New Zealand side piled up 336 runs.

The Indians seemed keen to erase the humiliation of being skittled out for 103 in the first innings as both the batsmen showed scant respect to their tormentors on that occasion -- Andrew Penn and David Blake.

Jadeja (38 n.o; 2x6, 4x4), in particular, was in a punishing mood unleashing a few ferocious cover drives and hoisting off-spinner Campbell Furlong for two sixes.

Earlier, resuming at 121 for one, the Kiwis benefitted from Jadeja spilling at gully a Craig Spearman (85; 205m, 167b,11x4) catch off Venkatesh Prasad.

The Central Districts skipper went on to add 20 more runs to his overnight 65 before the Karnataka medium-pacer extracted revenge.

The other overnight batsman Matthew Sinclair (52: 120b, 122m, 6x4) fell edging a Debashish Mohanty delivery to Nayan Mongia behind the stumps.

Young Jarrod Englefield (63: 180m, 8x4) and veteran left-hander Mark Douglas (28), with a 65-run fourth wicket stand, continued to torment the Indian bowlers.

Douglas, the senior-most pro in the team, batted in an attacking vein till he was castled by Prasad but Englefield, captain of New Zealand youth team and making a first class debut here, stayed long enough to bring the side close to 300.

The tourists cut through the middle line-up quickly before they were held up by the ninth wicket pair of Martyn Segley (35 n.o) and David Blake (11), who realised 40 runs between themselves.

Mohanty emerged the most successful of the Indian bowlers bagging four for 69, while Prasad scalped three wicketsgiving away 100 runs.

Jadeja and Sidhu gave a confident start to India's second innings driving the Kiwi bowlers to all parts of the ground. Jadeja, in his typical manner, made a few crashing cover drives.

It infuriated opening bowlers Penn and Blake to try out a few short deliveries. But with no support from the pitch, the batsmen were hardly troubled.

When offie Furlong was introduced, the duo took to him with glee. Jadeja first carted the bowler straight down beyond the boundary and then hoisted him over mid-wicket for another six.

Scoreboard:

India (1st innings): 103

Central Districts (1st innings) (overnight 121-1):

G Milnes b Mohanty 20, C Spearman b Prasad 85, M Sinclair c Mongia b Mohanty 52, J Englefield c Prasad b H Singh 63, M Douglas b Prasad 28, J Oram lbw b R Singh 5, C Furlong c Mongia b Prasad 3, A Penn b H Singh 7, M Sigley not out 35, D Blake lbw b Mohanty 11, M Mason lbw b Mohanty 1; Extras: (b4, lb5, nb16, w1) 26. Total: (all out in 116.2 overs) 336

Fall ofwickets:

1-61, 2-152, 3-171, 4-236, 5-245, 6-253, 7-281, 8-288, 9-320, 10-336.

Bowling:

Prasad 31-6-100-3, Mohanty 22.2-9-69-4, Robin Singh Jr 19-5-59-1, Ganguly 7-1-25-0, Harbhajan 37-10-74-2

India (2nd innings):

N Sidhu batting 15, A Jadeja batting 38; Extras: (1lb) 1. Total: (for no loss in 13 overs) 54

Bowling:

Penn 5-2-8-0, Blake 3-0-20-0, Furlong 3-0-23-0, Mason 2-1-2-0

New Zealand side for 1st Test:

NAPIER:

Left-arm paceman Geoff Allott was preferred over experienced Shayne O'Connor by the New Zealand selectors when the hosts today announced a 12-member team for the first cricket Test against India starting in Dunedin on December 18.

The team led by Stephen Fleming includes 21-year-old batsman Matthew Bell, the Wellington batsman who is set to partner Matthew Horne as an opener.

Team:

Stephen Fleming (captain), Matthew Bell, Matt Horne, Adam Parore, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle, Simon Doull, Dion Nash, Chris Cairns, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wisemanand Geoff Allott.