no he can't, he's gone for a golden duck, bowled after he doesn't move his feet and pokes at a short of length ball, Ishant gets two in two and an utterly comprehensive win for India is wrapped up
India vs New Zealand, 3rd Test at Nagpur, Nov 20 2010 - Ball by Ball Commentary
Vettori and the rest of the New Zealand team come out of the dressing-room and shake hands with the Indians as they troop off the ground. It was probably too much to expect New Zealand to have wrenched a draw in this game after being dominated in the first three days, but you'd have expected them to at least take the match till late into the fourth day.
Almost everything has gone right for India in this game, perhaps some runs from Raina would have made it perfect. Two men who weren't in their best form, Gambhir and Dhoni, spent time in the middle, Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth seemed to be in rhythm, and the spinners did their job as well in Nagpur. The win means India take the series 1-0, and they are now haven't lost a series since the Mendis inspired Sri Lanka to victory in mid-2008.
It's not all doom-and-gloom for New Zealand, who were widely expected to be thumped 3-0 when they came into the series. The emergence of Kane Williamson is a huge bonus, as is the return of Jesse Ryder who has been out of Tests for a long time ahead of this series. Brendon McCullum's audition as a Test opener was also a success.Question marks will remain over Gareth Hopkins, though, and opinion will be divided on whether Tim McIntosh is a long-term opening prospect.
Rajesh: "Martin's first duck against India. This is his second highest series average ever!!"
Nithin: "NZ fantastic fight in first two test math came with disastrous end in third . This test series is a wake up call for Indian team for most awaited SA series . We cannot take any team for granted .Well played NZ . Indians are still NO 1, but lot of lessons taught for Number one side by underdogs NZ . Hats of NZ for their sportsman spirit . Good luck for one day series ."
Post-match presentation:
Rahul Dravid is the Man of the Match: "It was a good series, had to work hard for runs. To get the sort of result we did today was sweet. The bowlers set up the match for us. I think it was the best wicket we got in the series, there was bounce when the ball was new, and turn later as we saw today."
Harbhajan Singh is the Man of the Series: "It's been a satisfying series with the bat, but could have got more wickets. I'm very happy we won the series. This is what is called an Indian, there is something in it for the bowlers on the fourth and fifth day, and batsman can score is they play well. I think I bowled well, would have been happy with 15-16 wickets in the series, Ojha bowled well, Raina chipped in with wickets. South Africa is going to be very challenging, we have to play much better than we did in this series to win, if we play to our potential and our capabilities, we can definitely win in South Africa."
Daniel Vettori: "It was a really good challenge, this is the sort of wicket you expect to play on at least once in India, it was a first for some of us, and hopefully we can do better the next time it happens. We're more comfortable as a one-day unit, though we were beaten in our previous series."
MS Dhoni: "I think the way the fast bowlers bowled on the first day was remarkable, there wasn't much in the wicket for them then but they still got the wickets, and they were backed up by the spinners. Plenty of positives, the way Rahul is playing, Sehwag's form, the bowlers have shown they can take wickets even on flat tracks, one area of improvement is the fielding, we need to increase our intensity in the field."
Dhoni collects the trophy, and the Indian squad pose for photos with it.
That's all we have for now. There are two other Tests in progress right now, Pakistan have just averted the follow-on in Abu Dhabi, and Sri Lanka are 27 for 1 against West Indies in Colombo.
Thanks for all the mails during the Test, this is Siddarth Ravindran signing out.
Can Martin last the over? Five balls to go.
and he strikes straight away, Southee's fun innings comes to an end, Chris Martin is all that stands between New Zealand and defeat, it was a short of length ball, Southee as usual charges out of the crease, looks to swipe this towards midwicket, he misses, the ball hits the top of middle and off
Ishant is back
knows Southee will advance down the track, so he slips it short, Southee swings it towards long-on for a single
Harbhajan round the wicket now
poked towards point for a single
gets forward to defend, inside-edge onto the pads
McKay's had enough of the patience, clubs this one over the mid-off, Sreesanth has to come across from long-on to field this one
again solid defence from McKay, not bad at all for a No. 10
McKay gets forward and defends the ball towards cover
Harbhajan over the wicket
tossed up this time, slog-swept to midwicket for two, do you need any fielders on the off-side for Southee?
another attempted mow, edged towards deep backward square leg for a couple
Southee comes down the track and smashes that one against the spin over long-on for a huge six
McKay punches it towards long-off for a single
spins away after pitching outside off, left alone
Ojha round the wicket
Southee does what he has all innings, charging down and mows the ball, sends this one to deep square leg
length ball outside off, confidently defended to the off side
another appeal for lbw after McKay pads it away, probably pitched outside leg
inside-edge onto the pads as McKay looks to defend off the front foot
the topspinner from Harbhajan, pitching outside leg and going straight on, McKay was looking to leave and was struck on the pads
defended off the front foot
Southee living dangerously, swipes the ball from outside off, top-edge goes high in the air but still lands short of Ishant at fine leg