India win by an innings and 198 runs to clinch series

Nagpur, November 23 (PTI) Spinners Harbhajan Singh and
Pragyan Ojha wreaked havoc on a turning track as India
recorded one of their most convincing Test wins in recent
times by thrashing New Zealand by an innings and 198 runs in
third and final Test to clinch the three-match series 1-0 here
on Tuesday.
The spin duo never looked threatening during the entire
series but proved to be an altogether different proposition
with turn and bounce that was on offer.
Both Harbhajan (3/56) and Ojha (2/67) got appreciable
turn and bounce as the Black Caps batsmen literally struggled
to stay put on a track that was suddenly looking difficult
to bat on. There was sharp turn on offer and some of the balls
were also keeping low.
If Harbhajan and Ojha decimated the top-order, Ishant
Sharma (3/15) and Suresh Raina (2/1) blasted out the lower
order as New Zealand were all out for 175 in only 51.2 overs.
Needing 349 runs to clear the first innings deficit, the
visitors needed to show a lot of application but not having
encountered appreciable turn and bounce in the previous
matches meant that there wasn't a lot of homework done.
The pressure was immense and Daniel Vettori’s men
surrendered meekly with the match lasting barely three and
half days.
Brendon McCullum (25), the double centurion of the last
Test, on whom Vettori must have depended a lot went back in
the 14th over as he missed a ball trying to play on the
backfoot. It would have hit the leg stump and Simon Taufel
made no mistake in ruling the batsman leg before.
Martin Guptill (0) who has had a woeful Test match saw a
delivery from Ojha pitched on the leg stump and turn sharply
towards the middle stump finding the batsman’s pads. Taufel
took some time before raising his finger as Ojha was in with a
hat-trick chance.
At 38 for three, New Zealand were looking down the
barrel. Ross Taylor (29) tried to hit the spinners more out of
desperation as the noose got tighter. Wicketkeeper Gareth
Hopkins – certainly not the best among the wicketkeeper
batsman who are playing international cricket was the next man
out. (MORE) PTI KHS
DBP



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