India v New Zealand, Fourth Test

Eden Gardens, Kolkata

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

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

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: S Kishen & Satyaji Rao

The fourth Test in Kolkata saw India remain unchanged following the 'bore-draw' in Kanpur, whilst New Zealand welcomed back both John Bracewell and Stephen Boock in a bid to bolster their spin bowling department. Adam Parore also resumed his role behind the stumps for the Kiwis, Smith, Motz and Howarth the men missing out.

The tourists had to win this match to retain any chance of taking the series, and although Gavaskar won the toss and elected to bat, a slightly patchy looking strip and some decent cloud cover gave them hope of restricting the Indians. A roughly honours-even first day saw India reach the close on 238-4, and the fact that they could only extend this total to 328 before being bowled out certainly gave New Zealand hope.

India's innings was centred around Hazare's 94, and his 102 run partnership with Gavaskar for the third wicket was the pair's third century stand of the series. New Zealand bowled with commendable application though, and Hazare was the only man to pass 50 as the innings fell away on the second morning. Hadlee eventually trapped him lbw on the way to his third four-for of the series, one of five lbw decisions awarded in the innings, but injury to Taylor and two dropped catches from Parore blotted the Kiwis' copy book somewhat, as did an irritating last wicket stand of 32 between Srinath (35) and Bedi (4*).

Nonetheless, New Zealand were still in the match, and some valuable runs from their own tail gave them a vital first innings lead come stumps on day three. The ever-reliable Bevan Congdon led the way at the top of the order with a watchful 84, but it was not until the tourists lost their sixth wicket that the innings really got going. From a laboured total of 181-6 the last four wickets more than doubled the score, adding a further 190 runs before the innings finally closed on 371. Parore and Hadlee both recorded their first fifties of the series as they added a national record 98 for the seventh wicket, and a pair of attacking innings from Taylor (39) and Bracewell (40*) pushed New Zealand into a 43 run lead.

Bishen Bedi had bowled superbly throughout the Black Caps' innings though, claiming 6-118 from 46 overs of wonderfully controlled slow left-arm bowling, and with Engineer claiming four victims in a welcome return to form behind the timbers, India's deficit appeared manageable. However, the fit-again Bruce Taylor removed both openers on the fourth morning before the scores reached parity, and with John Reid inducing an edge behind from the in-form Umrigar, India were 46-3 and in distinct trouble. An obdurate 41 from Hazare led a recovery of sorts, but when Boock removed both him and Borde in quick succession, India were 166-5 and their lead of 123 left them looking vulnerable.

India's plight should have been even worse, but Parore had fumbled yet another chance earlier in proceedings, missing Azharuddin on 17 off the bowling of Bracewell, and this error was to prove extraordinarily costly for New Zealand. Azharuddin duly completed his 50, and in partnership with Engineer he then set about taking the game away from the Kiwis. 130 runs were added for the sixth wicket, each one of them a nail in the tourists' coffin, and Azharuddin's final score of 126 was an innings of immeasurably greater value than his undefeated 173 in Kanpur. It was batting of the highest order under immense pressure, and Engineer provided excellent support with his first fifty since his remarkable 300 against the Australians. A hard hit fifty from Kapil Dev on the fifth morning simply added insult to injury, and Gavaskar's lunchtime declaration left New Zealand with the unlikely target of 317 in a minimum of 59 overs.

The Black Caps tried to force the pace early on, but they threw away early wickets in the quest for quick runs, and on a wearing pitch it was soon evident that the final two sessions of play were going to be a battle for survival rather than for victory. Congdon gave Venkat a return catch off the leading edge for 29, and with the ball really starting to turn both Venkat and Bedi were able to bowl with any number of fielders surrounding the batsmen. Umpires Kishen and Rao were severely tested by a succession of appeals from India's spin twins, and by tea New Zealand were a precarious looking 96-5, with thoughts of victory a distant memory.

Richardson was the last recognised batsmen still at the crease, and once Venkat snared him for 33, Bedi ran through the tail to pick up his second five wicket haul of the match, with Gavaskar claiming three catches at slip. New Zealand had been dismissed for 121 with an hour's play remaining, and India's 195 run victory had handed them their first ever ATG series win at home. There were understandable scenes of jubilation all around Eden Gardens at this point, and both Bedi - who had become the first Indian bowler to reach 100 ATG wickets - and Azharuddin were feted as heroes for their part in the victory. In reality though it had been a match that New Zealand could - and should - have won, and as well as Bedi bowled and Azharuddin batted they really had only themselves to blame as yet another Test match slipped through their fingers.

Scores
IND 1st Inns 328 (Hazare 94, Gavaskar 49, Azharuddin 46; Hadlee 4-73)
NZL 1st Inns 371 (Congdon 84, Parore 62, Hadlee 57, Bracewell 40*; Bedi 6-118)
IND 2nd Inns 359-9 dec. (Azharuddin 126, Engineer 73, Kapil Dev 51, Hazare 41; Boock 4-83)
NZL 2nd Inns 121 (Bedi 5-33)

INDIA WON BY 195 RUNS

Man of the Match: BS Bedi

India v New Zealand, Third Test

Green Park, Kanpur

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

NZL: Turner, Richardson, Congdon, *Reid, Donnelly, Burgess, Hadlee, +Smith, Taylor, Motz, HJ Howarth.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: VK Ramaswamy & PD Reporter

Green Park's second ATG Test produced its second shirtfront of a wicket, and with India already ahead in the series a draw was a result that was both predictable and inevitable. Just 24 wickets fell over the course of the five days, and when the figures of the two ATG Tests played on this ground are combined, they reveal that 2806 runs have been scored for the loss of just 40 wickets at an average of over 70 runs per dismissal; Kanpur's previous Test saw West Indies rack up ATG cricket's highest ever total of 803-2, which was followed by the unlikely pairing of Mohinder Amarnath and Javagal Srinath batting out an entire day to force the draw.

India batted first upon winning the toss, and after a rare failure from Gavaskar it was left to Polly Umrigar to anchor the innings with his second successive century. He added 89 for the second wicket with Vijay Merchant (34) who had been recalled to replace the injured Sidhu, and 121 with Azharuddin (85) for the fourth before shouldering arms to Taylor only to lose his off stump as the ball nipped back off the seam. It was an inglorious end to an innings that never really reached top gear, but Umrigar's 130 had nonetheless set India on the way to a decent first innings total. Azharuddin had been dropped by Ian Smith - in the team for the ill Parore - before he had scored, and New Zealand have paid heavily for a number of lapses in the field during the series so far.

Hedley Howarth bowled very well to record figures of 3-85 off 29 overs, but with Bracewell and Boock still injured John Reid lacked options in the slow bowling department and the hosts were eventually dismissed for 406 shortly after lunch on day 2, a reasonable total but not one that put New Zealand totally out of the game. Indeed, Glenn Turner and Mark Richardson set about proving that the Kiwis were still capable of a fight as they spent the rest of the day compiling their country's highest ever opening stand in ATG Tests.

From a position of 152-0 overnight the partnership grew to 218 before Borde induced a false stroke from Richardson, Venkat's boundary catch ending a stand that was by this time New Zealand's highest for any wicket. Richardson had contributed 85, but Turner had managed to emulate Polly Umrigar by recording his second successive hundred, eventually reaching a career best 144 before providing the deserving Srinath a wicket courtesy of a catch in the gully by Borde. Consistent batting right down the order ensured that there would be no Kiwi collapse in this match, and although no-one else passed 50, the tourists edged into the lead before their innings closed on 436 on the fourth morning.

The remainder of the fourth day degenerated into a soporific stupor as India, led by Gavaskar's four and a half hour 89, set out their stall to bat out the remainder of the match and claim the draw that would maintain their series lead. They ended the day on 183-3 from 85 overs, and only one further wicket would fall on a final day that was dominated by an enormous, unbroken stand between Azharuddin and Borde. John Reid used nine bowlers as the pair amassed 254 unbeaten runs for the fifth wicket, a record for India and the third highest fifth wicket stand of all time, India finishing the match on an utterly pointless 469-4.

Chandu Borde posted his first ATG hundred whilst Azharuddin went on reach 173*, his seventh ATG century and his highest individual score; he should have been given out lbw on 91 against Taylor, but the fact that nobody seemed to care that a dozing umpire Ramaswamy missed a seemingly obvious call spoke volumes about the attitude of all concerned by that stage. India thus remain one up with two to play in the series, and one can only hope that both players and groundsmen show a far greater commitment to positive cricket over the course of the final two Tests; if not, then we could be in for a very long ten days in Kolkata and Mumbai.

Scores
IND 1st Inns 406 (Umrigar 130, Azharuddin 85, Engineer 49)
NZL 1st Inns 436 (Turner 144, Richardson 85, Congdon 48, Reid 41; Bedi 4-103)
IND 2nd Inns 469-4 (Azharuddin 173*, Borde 105*, Gavaskar 89, Merchant 46)

MATCH DRAWN


Man of the Match: M Azharuddin

India v New Zealand, Second Test

Punjab C.A. Stadium, Chandigarh, Mohali

IND: *Gavaskar, Sidhu, Umrigar, Hazare, Azharuddin, Borde, +Engineer, Kapil Dev, Srinath, Venkataraghavan, Bedi.
NZL: Turner, Richardson, Congdon, MD Crowe, *Reid, Burgess, +Parore, Hadlee, Taylor, Motz, HJ Howarth.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: VK Ramaswamy & PD Reporter

New Zealand arrived in Mohali in buoyant mood after their great escape in the first Test, but they were struck a cruel blow before a ball was even bowled when both Stephen Boock (shoulder) and John Bracewell (side) were forced to withdraw, leaving Hedley Howarth as the lone spinner on a track that was expected to favour the slow men later in the game.

John Reid managed to win his second toss in succession, but on a flat, dry surface the Kiwis were bowled out within a day by an unchanged Indian attack, although on this occasion it was seam rather than spin that did the damage. The tourists were actually a commanding 172-2 midway through the afternoon session, but a devastating spell with the second new ball from Kapil Dev after tea caused the last six wickets to tumble for 34 runs with New Zealand only managing to total 279 after they had promised so much more. Congdon top-scored with 87 before Umrigar's direct hit from cover ran him out following a poor call from Reid, then Kapil Dev's best ever ATG figures of 5-53 simply scythed through the tail.

India now set about capitalising on an excellent first day's work, and just as in Ahmedabad it was Gavaskar and Hazare that piled on the misery for the Black caps. Gavaskar and Umrigar (who was dropped on 9 by Crowe) took India's reply past 100 after the early dismissal of Sidhu, then Hazare hooked up with his skipper to the tune of 191 runs, a partnership that, in fluency if not in sheer weight of scoring, more than matched their liaison in the first Test. Hazare was eventually out on 99, skying a catch to Reid off Hadlee just one run short of a deserved hundred, but Gavaskar went on to reach his second century in succession off just 167 balls, and became the first Indian to pass 3000 ATG runs as his innings swelled past 150, just as it always does when he reaches three figures (the lowest of Gavaskar's seven ATG hundreds is 156*).

Gavaskar eventually edged Taylor behind for 169, and from a score that read 296-2 when Hazare was dismissed, the innings fell away somewhat to 411 all out, with the impeccable Richard Hadlee returning the excellent figures of 4-72 from 33.4 overs. New Zealand began their second innings just after lunch on day three, and just as on the first day they got off to an excellent start. Their 132 run deficit was wiped out for the loss of only two wickets, Bevan Congdon adding a fluent 73 to go with his first innings 87 and passing 1000 runs in just his 13th ATG Test. Turner and a subdued Crowe took the Kiwis to stumps on day 3 at 174-2, with Turner going on to complete just his second ATG century (the other was also against India) early on the fourth morning.

At 246-2, New Zealand led by 112 and found themselves in an unexpectedly strong position, but just as on the first day the innings fell away again, to spin this time, and the tourists were all out for 342 by tea. Turner eventually made 125 in five and a half hours, and John Reid enlivened proceedings with a belligerent 57 which included a withering assault on Bedi, who departed for three sixes in the space of two memorable (not for Bedi!) overs. India thus needed 211 to win in four sessions, but when one considered the fact that they had never successfully chased more than 85 to win an ATG Test, the result was not a forgone conclusion.

Indeed, by the close on day four, India had been reduced to a nervy 54-3 with both Gavaskar and Hazare back in the pavilion, and when Hadlee claimed his third wicket by uprooting Azharuddin's off stump for 8 early on the final morning, the hosts were teetering at 74-4 and it was very much 'game on.' Umrigar and Borde were able to construct a vital partnership for the fifth wicket though, and with the total on 104, Umrigar was crucially dropped by Hadlee in Howarth's first over. Umrigar was on 43* at the time, and New Zealand paid dearly for Hadlee's mistake as India's number three stroked his way to what was to prove a man-of-the-match winning performance.

Umrigar and Borde added 96 precious runs before Hadlee made Borde victim number four, but by then it was too late for New Zealand. Umrigar had reached a wonderful hundred by the time the winning runs were hit, and to make matters worse for the tourists both Reid and Hadlee were already in the dressing room at this stage, nursing injuries picked up in the field that make them both doubtful starters in Kanpur. India had played some good cricket on the way to their victory, but New Zealand had paid the price for both their first day collapse and their lack of a quality spinning option on the final day (Howarth's match figures were 0-130 off 35 overs), and it will be an uphill struggle for them to get back into the series now.

Scores
NZL 1st Inns 279 (Congdon 87, Reid 47, Crowe 46; Kapil Dev 5-53)
IND 1st Inns 411 (Gavaskar 169, Hazare 99, Umrigar 41; Hadlee 4-72)
NZL 2nd Inns 342 (Turner 125, Congdon 73, Reid 57, Crowe 41)
IND 2nd Inns 211-6 (Umrigar 106*, Borde 40; Hadlee 4-49)

INDIA WON BY 4 WICKETS

Man of the Match: PR Umrigar

India v New Zealand, First Test

Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

IND: *Gavaskar, Sidhu, Umrigar, Hazare, Azharuddin, Borde, +Engineer, Kapil Dev, Srinath, Venkataraghavan, Bedi.
NZL: Turner, Richardson, Congdon, MD Crowe, *Reid, Burgess, +Parore, Hadlee, Taylor, Bracewell, HJ Howarth.

Debuts: NS Sidhu & CG Borde (IND); MH Richardson (NZL)
Umpires: VK Ramaswamy & PD Reporter

New Zealand's first ATG tour of India got off to the most insipid of starts as a combination of a soft, lifeless pitch and stiflingly accurate Indian bowling allowed just 169 runs to be scored on the first day. John Reid won the toss and batted, but the Kiwis found stroke making almost impossible, and their eventual first innings total of 245 spanned 155 overs and stretched into the second afternoon. With the exception of Crowe, New Zealand's top seven all got starts, but no-one could top skipper Reid's 43 and Mark Burgess laboured for four hours and 230 balls for his 40. India's attack was minus the injured Chandrasekhar, but Venkat and Bedi dominated proceedings, sending down 96 overs between them for 123 runs and a haul of six wickets, and one wondered whether the tourists' attack had it in them to frustrate the home batsmen to the same extent.

India's reply got off to a slow start, and by the end of the second day the hosts were a precarious 80-3, but day three belonged to Sunil Gavaskar as India tightened their grip on the game. 344 runs came on an oppressively hot third day, and only one wicket fell as Gavaskar and Hazare compiled a record breaking fourth wicket partnership. Their stand of 296 was the second highest for the fourth wicket in all of ATG history and India's second highest for any wicket, and New Zealand's bowling looked increasingly toothless on a pitch that was hardening and flattening in the heat. Hazare's contribution was 133, his seventh ATG hundred, but Gavaskar continued remorselessly on, eventually raising the second slowest double century ever after nine hours and 462 balls at the crease, his fourth score in excess of 200 in ATG Tests.

India's innings eventually closed on 547, with Gavaskar last out for a gargantuan, career-best 295. He was dropped twice, on 188 and 230, and was involved in an incredible four run outs during the innings, but his twelve hour, 595 ball opus had given India an impregnable 302 run advantage, and New Zealand now faced the prospect of batting for four and a half sessions to save the game. Turner fell early, but Richardson and Congdon put together an assured century partnership before both fell victim of rash strokes against the spinners shortly before stumps on day four, and the tourists began the final day on 138-3, still 164 runs in arrears.

It was 143-4 when Reid (13) was brilliantly caught at first slip by Gavaskar off Kapil Dev in just the second over of the final day, but a combination of rain and a resolute Martin Crowe now set about frustrating India's quest for victory. Over an hour's play was lost either side of lunch over the course of three separate stoppages, but Crowe maintained his concentration and stroked his way to a composed hundred, and New Zealand had every chance of saving the game whilst he remained at the wicket.

However, with over an hour's play remaining, Crowe was run out for 114 as he attempted a risky second run in order to keep the strike, and at 277-8 New Zealand's brave resistance appeared to be at an end. Taylor fell soon after to make it 288-9, and the Black Caps' last pair would have to bat for 40 minutes to secure the draw. Bracewell and Howarth played positively though, knowing that if they could push their team into the lead then vital time would be wiped off the clock. Engineer crucially squandered the chance to stump Bracewell off Bedi, and with twenty minutes remaining the tenth wicket pair nudged the score past 300 and took New Zealand into the black. Ten nervy minutes later the draw was assured, and Bracewell (25*) and Howarth (13*) left the field as heroes with the bat, if not the ball. New Zealand had got out of jail, but it looks as though this could be a very long series for the men from the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Scores
NZL 1st Inns 245 (Reid 43, Burgess 40; Venkat 4-64)
IND 1st Inns 547 (Gavaskar 295, Hazare 133)
NZL 2nd Inns 322-9 (Crowe 114, Richardson 63, Congdon 41)

MATCH DRAWN

Man of the Match: SM Gavaskar

India v New Zealand - Series Preview

Coming as it does between Australian series against South Africa and West Indies, New Zealand's first tour of India (also their first five Test series) has always been in danger of being overshadowed, but the match-up between ATG cricket's two lowest ranked teams still promises some competitive action. A comprehensive win for India would send them above West Indies in the rankings, whilst the Kiwis have much to prove as they continue their battle to climb out of the basement.

John Reid has been retained as skipper and will lead the New Zealand party with Bevan Congdon as his vice-captain, whilst opening batsman Mark Richardson is the only new cap to make the trip. The squad in full:

JR Reid (c), BE Congdon (vc), SL Boock, JG Bracewell, MG Burgess, EJ Chatfield, MD Crowe, RJ Hadlee, HJ Howarth, RC Motz, AC Parore, MH Richardson, IDS Smith, B Sutcliffe, BR Taylor, GM Turner.

There is therefore still no recall for leading runscorer Martin Donnelly, but other than that it is a largely predictable squad selection, given recent form, and the starting XI will have its first run out when the series gets underway in Ahmedabad.