Sachin Steers India to Spectacular Victory

Sreelata YellamrazuMar 9 2009

In a match that saw the full fifty overs utilized for the first time in the ODI series between India and New Zealand, India powered over the hosts on Sachin’s maiden century in New Zealand but after surviving a scare in Christchurch.

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Runs were plundered in a match that was left breathless by the range of shots, number of boundaries and sailing sixes. Leading the way was Sachin Tendulkar whose spectacular 163 was his first century in New Zealand and his highest one day international score. Batting first, once again New Zealand felt the heat of the Indian pace of batting, though it did not come from the man they feared, Virender Sehwag.

Sachin has shown semblance of brilliance in previous matches but finally received the length of the innings to truly show off the strength of his destruction. India were also ably supported by another man in rich vein, Yuvraj Singh, and the partnership between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina. Yuvraj was once again at his destructive best eighty-seven off sixty balls. Dhoni’s half century and Raina’s consistent run flow during this series helped India to a rather healthy and daunting innings total of 392.

But scoring near 400 runs was not cushion enough for India as the conditions and pitch that favoured the Indians also favoured the hosts. Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum put up an electrifying 166 run opening partnership that put New Zealand on track to chase the monumental target set by the Indians. Ryder’s century and McCullum’s seventy-one did not allow India to relax in the field as runs continue to pour.

But as often as it happens when chasing a colossal target, New Zealand lost wickets quickly after the opening partnership and it then sidetracked New Zealand off their goal. Eight for 251 would have been a reasonable score on another but not when chasing a target close to 400.

But even then India had little respite or opportunity to be complacent in the field as the late order brought the game alive again, even as the target appeared too far from reach. Had Daniel Vettori, the NZ skipper who missed the match because of his pregnant wife, been in the team, there is no telling what kind of effect it had. Kyle Mills’ half century and Tim Southee’s thirty-two added to an attractive eighty-three run partnership that brought New Zealand to a rather respective finish, albeit a losing one.

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