NAPIER - India battled to withstand the pressure of New Zealand’s mammoth first-innings score of 619 for nine declared as they went to lunch at 189 for four on the third day of the second cricket Test here at McLean Park Saturday.

Most importantly, India lost the huge wicket of Sachin Tendulkar one run short of his 52nd Test fifty, caught at slip by Ross Taylor off off-spinner Jeetan Patel.

Rahul Dravid, however, got to his 55th half century and was on 57 at the break along with Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman who struck a brisk 21 as India added 110 runs in 30 overs in the first session.

Resuming Indian innings at 79 for three, Tendulkar and Dravid batted comfortably to put on 87 for the fourth wicket before the master batsman fell for 49.

Tendulkar, who was naught overnight, was right on top of the New Zealand bowlers this morning and batted fluently till he tried to force Patel through the covers to be caught at first slip. He hit seven fours and a six.

Dravid batted in his inimitable style to reach his fifty off 111 balls in 144 minutes with seven fours to give India hope of reaching the magic figure of 420 to avoid the follow-on.

Laxman quickly got into the groove, driving Parel twice to the on boundary in one over and then hitting medium-pacer Iain O’Brien for two more fours in the last over before lunch.

West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove was unable to resume his duties on the third morning because of a chest infection. New Zealand third umpire Evan Watkin replaced him in the middle and fourth umpire Chris Gaffeney became the television umpire.

Watkin was in action calling Daniel Vettori a no-ball when Dravid seemed to have been caught by wicketkeeper McCullum.

Replays suggested the left-arm spinner had a fraction of his heel behind the bowling popping crease.

Patel had two wickets for 38 from 11 overs, while Vettori also had two from his 11 overs for 34.