India shut out of series with three games still to play

India's inability to do anything right was typified in Queenstown today when no sooner had the game finished with another predictable New Zealand victory after only 25.4 overs, than the skies opened and the rain that had been threatening fell.

But by that stage New Zealand had tucked away the National Bank Series by a seven-wicket margin.

It is turning into the least competitive tour in New Zealand's history of One-Day International series at home.

India had no excuses to offer today. It must now be seriously wondered how much issues back at home are playing on this side's performance. The players have denied it, but then they would.

The simple fact of the matter is that India are playing well below anything like the standard that could be expected of a side with their capabilities. A full-house crowd on one of the world's most spectacular cricket grounds couldn't even lift the visitors.

All 10 of India's wickets fell for only 84 runs, this after the side made their best start of the series with 38 runs made by Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid who had been relieved of the wicket-keeping gloves to allow 17-year-old Parthiv Patel to make his ODI debut. They were all out for 122.

They ran into Andre Adams in full cry on the occasion of his return to international cricket. He achieved a career-best five wickets for 22 runs which was also equal to the second best performance by a New Zealand bowler. He shares the spot with Matthew Hart.

What was even more impressive about his effort was the quality of the wickets he took: Sehwag, Dravid, Mohammad Kaif and Dinesh Mongia in the top order.

Yuvraj Singh was the only middle-order player to throw out an anchor and attempt to build his innings. But he couldn't attract anyone to stay with him and he was eventually out attempting a big hit and being caught on the mid-wicket boundary for 25 scored off 61 balls. His was the ninth wicket to fall.

It was almost inevitable that India would be out after 43.4 overs, that was equal to the longest innings they have managed in the series.

Making their job that much harder was the continued superb fielding of the New Zealanders. They show such enthusiasm in the field that fielding has become another extension of their attack and it is clearly something that offers a challenge to all involved.

New Zealand showed when they batted that the pitch held no hidden terrors and sensible, common sense application was rewarded with runs scored at a reasonable pace.

The most encouraging thing for New Zealand was the sight of skipper Stephen Fleming getting among the runs for the first time in the one-day series.

He scored 47 runs during a 59-ball 92-minute innings which saw New Zealand past the 100-run mark and safely on the way to a comfortable win. There was a freedom about the strokeplay he exhibited that has been for too long and no shot was better than the six he pulled behind backward square leg off Ajit Agarkar.

It took the classiest bowler in India's line-up, Javagal Srinath to dismiss him, courtesy of an edge to second slip Sehwag. Srinath was the only Indian to take a wicket in the match, taking all three for 35 runs off 9.4 overs.

Zaheer Khan bowled only two overs having had 15 taken off his second over, 12 of them to Nathan Astle. Astle looked to be set for another blow-out but he had reached 15 when he touched a wider ball from Srinath to first slip Dravid.