QUEENSTOWN (New Zealand), Jan 4: New Zealand wrapped up their one-day series against a disappointing India with a seven-wicket victory in the fourth match to give them an unassailable 4-0 lead on Saturday.
Replying to India’s 122 all out in 43.4 overs, New Zealand reached 123 in just 25.4 overs, with Mathew Sinclair on 32 and Scott Styris eight.
New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, who has struggled with his form against India, top-scored for the home side with 47 and shared in a 73-run partnership with Sinclair.
Fleming was particularly strong on the on-side and hooked a glorious six over backward square off Ajit Agarkar during his innings.
Strike bowler Javagal Srinath took all three wickets to fall getting Nathan Astle caught at first slip by Rahul Dravid for 15, having Fleming caught by Virender Sehwag in the slips and bowling Craig McMillan for no score.
Srinath ended with figures of three for 35 off 9.4 overs.
Earlier, New Zealand all-rounder Andre Adams made a successful return to international cricket taking a career-best five for 22 off 8.4 overs.
Scoreboard
INDIA:
V. Sehwag c Astle b Adams 23
R.S. Dravid b Adams 18
D. Mongia c Vettori b Adams 12
Mohammad Kaif c McMillan b Adams 0
S.C. Ganguly c Mills b Tuffey 2
Yuvraj Singh c Tuffey b Styris 25
P.A. Patel b Mills 13
A.B. Agarkar run out 0
Zaheer Khan c McCullum b Tuffey 1
J. Srinath not out 10
A. Nehra c McCullum b Adams 0
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-11, NB-6) 18
TOTAL (all out, 43.4 overs) 122
FALL OF WKTS: 1-38, 2-55, 3-57, 4-67, 5-69, 6-94, 7-100, 8-107, 9-118.
BOWLING: Tuffey 10-0-36-2 (2nb, 5w); Mills 10-2-28-1 (3nb, 2w); Oram 10-1-28-0 (1nb, 1w); Adams 8.4-1-22-5 (3w); Styris 3-1-5-1; Vettori 2-0-2-0.
NEW ZEALAND:
S.P. Fleming c Sehwag b Srinath 47
N.J. Astle c Dravid b Srinath 15
M.S. Sinclair not out 32
C.D. McMillan b Srinath 0
S.B. Styris not out 8
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, W-14, NB-3) 21
TOTAL (for three wkts, 25.4 overs) 123
FALL OF WKTS: 1-28, 2-101, 3-103.
BOWLING: Srinath 9.4-1-35-3 (2w); Zaheer Khan 2-0-21-0 (2nb); Nehra 10-1-37-0 (6w); Agarkar 4-0-26-0 (1nb, 6w).
RESULT: New Zealand won by seven wickets.
UMPIRES: D.B. Cowie (New Zealand) and E.A.R. de Silva (Sri Lanka).
TV UMPIRE: A.L. Hill (New Zealand).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Andre Adams.
NEXT MATCH: Wellington (D/N), Wednesday.—Reuters