WTC final: India 64/2 at stumps after fifth day's play

Southampton, June 22 (IANS) India went to stumps at 64/2 on the fifth day of the World Test Championship final here on Tuesday, and will enter the reserve day on Wednesday with a lead of 32 over New Zealand.Openers Shubman Gill (8 off 33 balls) and Rohit Sharma (30 off 81 balls) were both dismissed by pace bowler Tim Southee. Skipper Virat Kohli (8 off 12 balls) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12 off 55 balls) were unbeaten at the draw of stumps. Earlier, New Zealand could eke out only a 32-run lead in the first innings as India, powered by pacer Mohammed Shami's four-wicket haul (4/76), dismissed the Kiwis for 249 on the fifth day of the rain-hit World Test Championship final here on Tuesday.New Zealand, who began the day strongly placed at 101 for two, were reduced to 135 for five in 72 overs at lunch as Shami removed Ross Taylor (11) and BJ Watling (1) before Ishant Sharma got rid of Henry Nicholls (7).Colin de Grandhomme (13) fell in the second session but the last four wickets added 87 runs to take the team to the eventual score. Skipper Kane Williamson grinded hard for his 49 (177 balls) before edging to slips off Ishant as the eighth wicket.India had made 217 in their first innings.Brief scores: India 217 all out and 64/2 in 30 overs vs New Zealand 249 all out in 99.2 overs (D Conway 54, K Williamson 49, T Southee 30, M Shami 4/76, I Sharma 3/48, R Ashwin 2/28)
--IANS kh/