Grit sees New Zealand emerge victors

Every Indian tour of New Zealand has been affected by rain and bad light, and the last trip there in 1998-99 was no different. In fact, the scheduled three-Test series got reduced to two as the first match at Dunedin was abandoned because of a downpour. There was never really any chance of play, and the umpires formally abandoned the game on the third day. Of the two remaining Tests, New Zealand won one and the other was drawn, which meant that the hosts had lost only one series to India in six contests at home ­ the first one, played way back in 1967-68.

The wash-out of the first Test was more a handicap to the Indians than the New Zealanders, and the visitors must have approached the swirling conditions in Wellington with some apprehension. When Simon Doull had the Indians at 16 for four on the first morning, the match was virtually decided.

It was essentially a battle between a team made up of several stars and another constituting essentially of journeymen. But the home team proved to be fitter and more committed and resilient. India's stars performed only in fits and starts, and consistency was sadly lacking. They suffered a setback in the opening firstclass fixture of the tour when they lost to Central Districts by seven wickets. Although they recovered to defeat Wellington by eight wickets in the only other firstclass game before the Test series, the portents of defeat were all too apparent, especially given their none-too-convincing record in New Zealand.

The wash-out of the first Test was more a handicap to the Indians than the New Zealanders, and the visitors must have approached the swirling conditions in Wellington with some apprehension. When Simon Doull had the Indians at 16 for four on the first morning, the match was virtually decided. Navjot Sidhu, Rahul Dravid and Nayan Mongia all failed to score, and it took a brave unbeaten 103 by Mohammad Azharuddin to get India to 208. The Indian captain's 21st Test century was made in the face of some inspired bowling by Doull, who kept an admirable line and length and used the wind to swing the ball menacingly. He finished with seven for 65, the fourth-best figures for New Zealand in Test cricket.

The Indian bowlers fought back, and New Zealand lost seven wickets in catching up with India's moderate total. But a record eighth-wicket partnership of 137 between Dion Nash and Daniel Vettori helped them wrest back the initiative. A lead of 144 was always going to be handy, even if the Indians did much better in the second innings, posting a total of 356. Sachin Tendulkar topscored with 113 and the New Zealanders were left a victory target of 213.

Again India's bowlers did very well, and at the end of the fourth day, New Zealand were 73 for four ­ effectively five, as Nathan Astle had retired after having his hand fractured by a delivery from Javagal Srinath. A fifth wicket fell at 74, but then Craig McMillian (74 not out) and Chris Cairns (61) quashed Indian hopes of a victory by adding 137 runs for the sixth wicket. Cairns got out trying to hit the winning stroke, and that honour fittingly went to Nash.

India never really had a chance to square the series in the final Test at Hamilton. The pitch was too good, as symbolised by the four centuries and as many as eight other scores over the halfcentury mark being notched up. The one consolation was that India had the Man of the Match in Dravid, who became only the third player from the country to get a hundred in each innings of a Test after Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar (who performed the feat three times).

New Zealand led off with 366, to which the Indians replied with 416. This represented a pretty good recovery, for at one stage they were 211 for seven. Dravid and Srinath added 144 runs for the eighth wicket, with the fast bowler getting a career-best 76. Then Dravid and Venkatesh Prasad (30) carried India's total past New Zealand's with a ninth-wicket association of 61. Dravid was finally out for 190 after having batted for more than eight hours and hitting 31 fours.

The first-innings lead of 50 seemed to be valuable when New Zealand were 85 for four in the second knock. Thereafter, though, India's bowling ran out of steam, and McMillan (84), Adam Parore (50), Cairns (126), Nash (63) and Daniel Vettori (43 not out) all made merry. Stephen Fleming delayed the declaration ­ at 464 for eight ­ until after lunch, and in the remaining time, Dravid hit his second century (103 not out) while Sourav Ganguly too got an unbeaten 101 as the Indians closed at 249 for two. Incidentally this was Sidhu's 51st and last Test.

The five-match series of one-day internationals was keenly fought, and fittingly it ended with each side winning two matches and the third game at Wellington being declared a no-result. New Zealand won the first by five wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis system, while India hit back by taking the second by two wickets. India maintained the momentum with a five-wicket victory in the fourth ODI, only for New Zealand to draw level with a 70-run win in the final game.