India bag series with an innings victory

NAGPUR, India, (Reuters) – New Zealand’s batsmen   surrendered meekly to the Indian bowlers in the second innings  on a turning day-four pitch at the Vidarbha Cricket  Association Stadium to give the hosts a 1-0 series win yesterday.

Paceman Ishant Sharma and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh led   the attack who dismissed the tourists for a paltry 175 in the   second innings to win the deciding test by an innings and 198   runs, with more than a day and a half to spare.

Harbhajan, adjudged the player of the series for his   all-round show with the bat and the ball, added the wickets of   Gareth Hopkins and Ross Taylor to his overnight scalp of   opener Tim McIntosh.

“It’s been a satisfying series, especially with the bat.   But I think I could have got a few more wickets,” the   off-spinner, who scored two centuries in the series, told Neo   Cricket channel.

The 30-year old lauded the pitch and said it had offered   help to both batsmen and bowlers.
“This was what we call an Indian wicket. If you are a good   bowler you can take wickets, and if you are a good batsman you   can score runs,” Harbhajan said.

“BEST WICKET”

“This was probably the best wicket I have played on for  many years now.”

Rahul Dravid got the man-of-the-match award for his   patient 191 in the first innings for India.
The lanky Sharma attacked the stumps and clean bowled Kane   Williamson, Tim Southee and Chris Martin to walk away with   three wickets.
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha removed Brendon McCullum and   Martin Guptill leg before in consecutive deliveries while   Suresh Raina chipped in with the wickets of Jesse Ryder and   New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori with his part-time off-spin.

The five-match one-day international series between the   two sides starts on Sunday at Guwahati in north-east India.
India, ranked number one in tests in the world, will tour   South Africa next month during which they will play three test   matches.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni acknowledged the importance   of the series for India against the number two-ranked side in   the world in tests.
“It is important for us as a team to do well in South   Africa. After that there is the World Cup,” Dhoni said during   the post-match presentation ceremony.
“We will try to take care of the process and accept   whatever is the result. But we will like to give it our best   shot.”

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand first innings 193 (J. Ryder 59; I. Sharma 4-43,  P. Ojha 3-57)
India first innings 566-8 declared (V. Sehwag 74, G.  Gambhir 78, R. Dravid 191, S. Tendulkar 61, MS Dhoni 98; D.  Vettori 3-178)
New Zealand second innings (overnight 24-1)

T. McIntosh lbw b Harbhajan                                                               8
B. McCullum lbw b Ojha                                                                        25
G. Hopkins c Gambhir b Harbhajan                                                    8
M. Guptill lbw b Ojha                                                                                0
R. Taylor c sub b Harbhajan                                                               29
J. Ryder c Sharma b Raina                                                                  22
K. Williamson b Sharma                                                                         8
D. Vettori lbw b Raina                                                                          13
T. Southee b Sharma                                                                             31
A. McKay not out                                                                                 20
C. Martin b Sharma                                                                               0
Extras (b-10, lb-1)                                                                               11
Total (all out; 51.2 overs)                                                              175
Fall of wickets: 1-18 2-38 3-38 4-62 5-93 6-110 7-123 8-124  9-175
Bowling: Sreesanth 7-3-25-0, Sharma 6.2-2-15-3, Ojha  17-2-67-2, Harbhajan 19-4-56-3, Raina 2-1-1-2
India won the three-test series 1-0.
Player of the match: Rahul Dravid (India)
Player of the series: Harbhajan Singh (India)