New Zealand v India - Tour Match

New Zealand Cricket XI v Indians
Dunedin
3 Day Game
Umpires: BL Aldridge & SJ Woodward
Toss: NZC XI

NXC XI: *GT Dowling, BA Edgar, AH Jones, BF Hastings, MJ Greatbatch, V Pollard, +WK Lees, DJ Nash, AR MacGibbon, FJ Cameron, DR Hadlee.
Indians: SM Gavaskar, MH Mankad, M Amarnath, VS Hazare, M Azharuddin, *MAK Pataudi, Kapil Dev, DG Phadkar, +SMH Kirmani, L Amar Singh, S Venkataraghavan.

A highly accomplished innings of 160 from Kiwi left-hander Bruce Edgar dominated India's tour match, and a slow, low wicket at the University Oval ensured that the game petered out into a draw come the end of the third day. Edgar's 408 minute, 339 ball innings was a faultless display of batting craft, and the ease with which he handled the tourists' attack may well have propelled him towards a most unexpected Test debut on his home ground in Christchurch. The Indian bowling was tight, if nonthreatening, for the majority of the NZC XI's innings, but when India batted it was a different story, with both MacGibbon and Cameron extracting movement both in the air and off the pitch on their way to reducing the innings to a very shaky 90-6.

Azharuddin's 66 restored some Indian pride, but he was hobbling badly by the end of his innings, and is now rated at no better than 50/50 for the first Test. Phadkar and Kirmani both contributed useful knocks in the forties as India nudged past 200 on the final afternoon, and although a swift second innings declaration by Graham Dowling set the Indians a target of 154 in 22 overs, Gavaskar and Mankad were in no mood for a Twenty20-style chase and settled for the safe haven of a draw. India's top order will need to bat much better in the Tests than they did here if Pataudi's team are to be competitive in this series, and Blackcap fans must be fancying their team's chances of a first ever series win come the end of the third Test in Auckland.

Scores
NZC XI 1st Inns 352-8 dec. (Edgar 160, Pollard 55)
Indians 1st Inns 222-9 dec. (Azharuddin 66, Phadkar 41, Kirmani 40; MacGibbon 4-36)
NZC XI 2nd Inns 23-2 dec.
Indians 2nd Inns 30-1

MATCH DRAWN

New Zealand v India - Series Preview

If one discounts ATG new boys Sri Lanka, this series is a true 'battle of the basement', and both sides will be looking to recover some form after being on the wrong end of 3-0 drubbings in their last outings. History suggests that India will enter the series as slight favourites, having come out on top in the previous two series between the teams, but hopes are high in New Zealand that this might be the occasion when the Blackcaps record their first ever ATG series victory.

John Reid has been retained as Kiwi skipper despite a lack of personal form, especially with the ball, and his opposite number on tour will be the Nawab of Pataudi jnr, who has been given the chance to lead his country for the first time outside of India. Pataudi's record as skipper is an uninspiring played six, lost six though, and one feels that his second stint as India's captain could be a short one if results go against him on this trip. As far as his squad is concerned, there are recalls for Amar Singh and Venkat, whilst the likes of Bedi, Chandrasekhar, Prasanna, Srinath, Umrigar, Shastri and Engineer have all been discarded after the disastrous home series against England. Gavaskar retains his place despite the controversy surrounding his displacement as captain, and one cannot help but speculate that the internal wranglings in the Indian squad might be just as interesting as the actual cricket during this series!

India's Squad
MAK Pataudi (c), VS Hazare (v/c), L Amar Singh, M Amarnath, M Azharuddin, SM Gavaskar, KD Ghavri, SP Gupte, Kapil Dev, SMH Kirmani, MH Mankad, DG Phadkar, M Prabhakar, MS Tamhane, DB Vengsarkar, S Venkataraghavan.

Australia v South Africa - Series Summary

Australia's first ever ATG series victory over South Africa ended the reign of one captain and strengthened the position of another, and it also re-established Australia's place at the top table in the world rankings after a season or so of decline.

Richie Benaud's captaincy skills were at the forefront during Australia's victories in the first and second Tests, and with his personal form with bat and ball showing signs of recovery he now looks set to lead the side in the defence of the Ashes next season. Erstwhile skipper Don Bradman topped and tailed the series with innings of substance, and whilst he is still struggling to piece together a consistent run of scores, he nonetheless topped the averages by a comfortable margin in a series where the bowlers were often on top. Lillee enjoyed his best ever ATG series with the ball, and Miller, Davidson and Benaud all bowled with consistency, with only Thomson struggling for form aside for his part in South Africa's demolition in the second innings at Melbourne.

The Proteas' dramatic capitulation for 44 at the MCG was undoubtedly the low point of the tour and ultimately cost Trevor Goddard his job after 51 matches at the helm. The side's recovery in Sydney may well have been a case of too little, too late, but at least the South Africans will be able to approach the upcoming series against Pakistan with a little more confidence than might have been the case otherwise. Stand-in skipper Dudley Nourse batted well throughout the series, but not one South African was able to record an individual century, and there may well still be one or two vacancies in the line-up to face Pakistan. Of the debutants, Brian McMillan made a significant impact with the bat, but his bowling lacked penetration, and with Tayfield in poor form it was left to Allan Donald to carry the Proteas' attack.

Leading Series Averages

Australia - Batting

	M	I	No	Runs	HS	Avge	100	50
DG Bradman	3	5	-	292	145	58.40	1	1
WM Woodfull	3	6	1	204	76	40.80	-	1
AR Border	3	5	-	197	88	39.40	-	2
WM Lawry	3	6	1	163	65	32.60	-	1
AK Davidson	3	5	1	125	42	31.25	-	-

Australia - Bowling

	Overs	Runs	Wkts	Avge	Best	5I	10M
KR Miller	71.0	230	13	17.69	3-31	-	-
AK Davidson	102.0	256	10	25.60	4-50	-	-
R Benaud	113.0	295	11	26.82	3-36	-	-
DK Lillee	113.1	386	14	27.57	5-16	1	-
JR Thomson	90.1	309	7	44.14	5-27	1	-

South Africa - Batting

	M	I	No	Runs	HS	Avge	100	50
AD Nourse	3	6	1	268	95*	53.60	-	3
BM McMillan	2	4	-	178	82	44.50	-	2
RG Pollock	3	6	1	209	74	41.80	-	2
BA Richards	3	6	-	212	82	35.33	-	2
TL Goddard	3	6	-	130	83	21.67	-	1

South Africa - Bowling

	Overs	Runs	Wkts	Avge	Best	5I	10M
AA Donald	132.1	387	18	21.50	6-55	1	-
TL Goddard	113.2	268	9	29.78	3-17	-	-
PS Heine	118.0	311	10	31.10	4-57	-	-
HJ Tayfield	91.2	269	4	67.25	3-56	-	-

AUSTRALIA WON THE SERIES 2-0

Players of the Series: DK Lillee & AA Donald