India v New Zealand, Fifth Test

Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

IND: *Gavaskar, Merchant, Umrigar, Hazare, Azharuddin, Borde, +Engineer, Kapil Dev, Srinath, Venkataraghavan, Bedi.

NZL: Turner, Richardson, Congdon, Crowe, *Reid, Burgess, +Parore, Hadlee, Taylor, Bracewell, Boock.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: S Kishen & Satyaji Rao

With the series decided there was only pride to play for in Mumbai, and the Indian selectors maintained faith in the XI that sealed the deal in Kolkata; one of the keys to India's success has been the fact that they have used just 12 players over the course of the entire series. New Zealand welcomed back the fit-again Martin Crowe in place of Martin Donnelly, but his return would be on a Wankhede wicket that was expected to turn from the first delivery and place the spinners well and truly in the spotlight for the duration of the game.

New Zealand won the toss and batted, but they had been bundled out for 183 by the third over on the second morning as Bedi and Venkat shared eight wickets between them in the spin-friendly conditions. Crowe made a gritty 51 on comeback and Parore contributed an equally watchful 50 lower down the order to temporarily quieten the criticism that has come his way recently, but no-one else could get out of the 20s in the face of the hosts' spin attack.

India's reply stuttered badly though, and it was seam, not spin, that caused the problems. Hadlee and Taylor sent the top three back with just 13 runs on the board as the ball swung early on day two, and it took a counter-attacking 77 from Hazare to put the innings back on an even keel. Yet another dropped catch - this time by Richardson off the bowling of Taylor - had given Hazare a life on 5 though, and such profligacy in the field has been the Kiwis' undoing over the course of the tour. India's batting seemed to have lost its discipline, and by the time Hazare was caught down the leg side by Parore off Hadlee, the hosts had slumped to 135-7 and looked like conceding a third successive first innings lead. Kapil Dev chose this moment to deliver a typical counter-punch though, bludgeoning 62 off 79 balls as the tail wagged to some effect, and although Taylor eventually returned to complete his first ATG five wicket haul (and New Zealand's only five-for of the series), by this time India had eked out a potentially valuable 22 run lead.

New Zealand now needed to show some initiative in order to avoid being trapped in the spinner's web once more, and led by Bevan Congdon that is exactly what they did on a third day that belonged entirely to the tourists. After a sticky start to the innings, Congdon blasted a wonderfully gung-ho hundred off just 130 balls, hitting Bedi out the attack as he dominated a 154 run third wicket stand with Crowe that rattled up in less than two hours. The score reached 198-2 before three wickets - including Congdon's - fell for just three runs, but Crowe dug in, adding 52 with Parore before sweeping a catch off Bedi for 86, and a spirited last wicket stand of 46 between Bracewell (38) and Boock (10*) set India a daunting target of 293 to win on a pitch that was still less than trustworthy.

New Zealand's positive approach had put India under pressure - the hosts floored three catches in the innings after missing just two chances over the course of the entire series up to that point - and by lunch on day four they were firmly against the ropes, the top three all having fallen cheaply for the second time in the match. Boock and Bracewell were building the pressure, and by mid-afternoon India were 72-5 and staring defeat in the face. Azharuddin and Engineer then put together an 89 run partnership that threatened to wrest the initiative from the Kiwis, but once Congdon caught Azharuddin at short leg off Boock for 68 New Zealand seized control once more and were determined not to let go.

Hadlee and Taylor - who bowled superbly for his match return of 8-100 - returned to knock over the tail, and when Bedi flashed a catch to Richardson in the slip cordon in the day's final over, New Zealand had completed a deserved 94 run victory with an entire day to spare. It was just their third win in 30 ATG Tests, but India's first ever series victory at home was already sealed and there were handshakes all round come the end of play. It had been a long, at times arduous series, but both sides can take positives away with them, although whether either team has what it takes to get out of ATG cricket's basement is still to be seen.

Scores
NZL 1st Inns 183 (Crowe 51, Parore 50; Venkat 4-50, Bedi 4-59)
IND 1st Inns 205 (Hazare 77, Kapil Dev 62; Taylor 5-53)
NZL 2nd Inns 314 (Congdon 105, Crowe 86)
IND 2nd Inns 198 (Azharuddin 68, Engineer 54)

NEW ZEALAND WON BY 94 RUNS


Man of the Match: BE Congdon