The home team was 69 for one in reply at the close of play, with Craig Spearman 40 not out and New Zealand Test batsman Mathew Sinclair unbeaten on 17.

India struggled on a lively pitch, with only Sachin Tendulkar (44) and skipper Sourav Ganguly (48) looking comfortable.

The Central Districts opening attack of Michael Mason (three for 46) and Lance Hamilton (two for 52) impressed the watching New Zealand selector, Ross Dykes.

Ganguly was initially unsettled by some short-pitched deliveries from left-arm medium pacer Hamilton and was dropped in the gully by Jamie How when he was on two.

The poor form shown by the Indian batsman in their only first-class match before the opening Test against New Zealand, in Wellington, starting on December 12, was matched by some of their Kiwi rivals elsewhere in the country.

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming bagged a pair batting for Wellington against Auckland while fellow Test batsmen Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan scored 11 and five respectively playing for Canterbury against Northern Districts.

Ganguly said his side should have done better against Central Districts but refused to panic.

"It's our first tour game and I'm sure we will do better tomorrow," he said.

"This is no different than England or Zimbabwe where the ball seams around. We are all experienced batsmen and I am sure we'll bat better next time."

Mark Greatbatch, the former New Zealand opening batsman who coaches Central Districts, said: "If you had told us this morning that we'd bowl India out for 209 and be 69 for one at stumps, we would have been very happy."

Greatbatch said the Indian batsmen erred by playing their natural wristy shots too early. "On a pitch like this with plenty of grass, you've got to play straight first up.

"Their batsmen went at the ball a little bit too much."

Scoreboard

India (first innings):

S Bangar c Sigley b Schwass 21

V Sehwag c Sinclair b Mason 12

R Dravid c Sigley b Mason 0

S Tendulkar b Hamilton 44

VVS Laxman c Sigley b Hamilton 9

S Ganguly c Sigley b Mason 48

P Patel c & b Schwass 7

A Agarkar lbw b Schwass 0

H Singh c Hefford b Sulzberger 29

A Nehra c How b Sulzberger 14

T Yohannan not out 4

Extras (b-2, lb-11, w-1, nb-7): 21

Total (all out, 68.3 overs): 209

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-20, 3-70, 4-84, 5-137, 6-144, 7-159, 8-161, 9-198.

Bowling: Mason 17-3-46-3, Hamilton 22-8-52-2 (w-1), Hefford 10-2-34-0 (nb-1), Schwass 13-2-46-3 (nb-5), Sulzberger 6.3-3-18-2 (nb-1).

Central Districts (first innings):

P Ingram c Sehwag b Nehra 10

C Spearman not out 40

M Sinclair not out 17

Extras (w-1 nb-1): 2

Total (for one wicket, 18 overs) 69

Fall of wicket: 1-16.

Bowling: Agarkar 6-3-13-0 (w-1), Nehra 6-2-23-1 (nb-1), Yohannan 3-0-13-0, Bangar 2-0-13-0, Singh 1-0-7-0.