"Graft, block, scratch, poke and prod" was New Zealand batsman Mark Richardson's summation of his batting style after a continued batting throughout his side's innings as it struggled to get in front of India in the first National Bank Test in Wellington today.

Richardson was 83 not out at stumps and easily the most compelling of the home side's batsmen against an Indian attack which plugged away relentlessly in less than perfect conditions.

India did cause a mild panic amongst the New Zealanders as three middle-order wickets fell for five runs but a Richardson partnership with Robbie Hart at least allowed the home side the chance to have another attempt to widen their lead tomorrow.

It will be important because India are unlikely to fail twice in succession with the strength of their batting line-up.

Strength was what Richardson offered New Zealand. He went into the Test, his 21st, with an average of 47 and it was easy to see why. He said it had been a long time since he spent a significant period of time in the middle which was when New Zealand were in the West Indies in June.

That was behind his frustration after offering the solitary chance of his innings when on 63. An edge flew low to second slip where V V S Laxman failed to hold it. The next ball Richardson unleashed a superb off drive which looked as if it might pull up short of the boundary.

At that point, Richardson played a shot in frustration at the bowler's end, only to see the bat go sailing through the air.

He explained: "I'd lost a little fluency and the guys had bowled pretty well and I was struggling mentally and I sort of cocked up and then hit the next ball how I wanted to hit the one I nicked. Inside I was boiling and went to flash the bat and forgot I'd been batting a while and the gloves were sweaty.

"It was the best shot I played all day."

Richardson said he was impressed with the Indian bowling and enjoyed facing a quality spinner in Harbhajan Singh while the Indian medium pacers, who clearly don't get the sort of conditions they struck in Wellington at home, stuck to their task well. They had bowled immaculate line and length.

New Zealand coach Denis Aberhart said the side would have liked more runs and to have more wickets in hand at the end of the day and there was disappointment a couple of partnerships hadn't quite kicked on.

"The more runs we can get the better," he said.

The new ball would still do something on the pitch, because the old ball was still doing things just before stumps this evening.

There would be a winner at the end of the match and New Zealand would be doing their best to ensure it was them.

Richardson said he wouldn't be surprised if the wicket flattened out more, although he felt New Zealand's left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori could yet be a factor in the match.

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