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Ross Taylor flirted with danger but survived to record his third test century as the BLACKCAPS recovered from a dismal opening to the second cricket test against India.
Taylor reached his milestone with a streaky boundary past gully during Zaheer Khan's final over before tea while at the other end Jesse Ryder was approaching his second test century.
Taylor went to the break on 113 while Ryder was on 87 as New Zealand reached tea on 233 for three, after losing saw their first three wickets for just 23 runs.
Without a century in 16 test innings since his majestic 154 out in England last June, Taylor rode his luck before converting his fifth test half-century into three figures with his 18th boundary.
Dropped on four and fortunate not to be run out on 16, Taylor experienced more good fortune on 92 when Rahul Dravid grassed an edge at first slip from the bowling of part-timer Yuvraj Singh.
He had more anxious moments on 99 when another edge fell short of Dravid, while Ryder almost ran himself out when Taylor contemplated a risky single to Ishant Sharma at mid on.
Ryder, who scored his maiden test century against India in Hamilton last week, brought up his half-century from 61 balls and looked the more assured of the duo as they posted a new record stand for the fourth wicket against India.
When their liaison reached 161 they eclipsed the previous best of 160 by Craig McMillan and Roger Twose at Hamilton in 1999.
Taylor notched his half century off 68 deliveries with 11 boundaries while he needed 151 deliveries to celebrate his hundred.
Stand-in captain Virender Sehwag juggled his bowling resources without success as he sought to separate the pair.
The occasional spinner brought himself on midway through the second session but Ryder ended his costly three-over cameo by clearing the boundary at mid wicket for the solitary six of the innings.
Fellow part-timer Yuvraj had 14 runs taken from his first over although he could have ended Taylor's charmed knock.
New Zealand made a disastrous start to the test when Tim McIntosh went for 12, Jamie How one and Martin Guptill eight inside the first hour.
NZPA
