Kohli scores a ton as India take 1-0 lead in ODI series

Tapan Mohanta
Guwahati, November 28 (PTI) Indian cricketer Virat
Kohli's sparkling century helped the country script a 40-run
win against an injury-hit New Zealand to take a 1-0 lead in
the five-match series.
Chasing India's challenging score of 277 at the Nehru
Stadium in Guwahati in the eastern Indian state of Assam, New
Zealand were short on experience with skipper Daniel Vettori
and explosive opener Brendon McCullum missing out due to back
injuries as the visitors were all out for 236 in 45.2 overs.
Stand-in skipper Ross Taylor top-scored for the Kiwis
with a fighting 66 from 69 balls studded with three sixes and
three boundaries.
At 169 for eight, New Zealand looked to give up easily
but Nathan McCullum (35 from 35 balls, 4x4) and Kyle Mills (32
from 28 balls, 2x4, 2x6) produced a 67-run ninth wicket stand
to give India some tough time in the middle.
But Sreesanth (three for 67) broke the partnership
dismissing Nathan and Mills with te former being brilliantly
caught by skipper Gambhir as India won the match with 28 balls
to spare.
Under intense scrutiny, Yuvraj Singh failed with the bat
but he was really effective with his bowling claiming three
for 43 from his full quota of 10 overs, while off-spinner
Ravichandran Ashwin took a career-best three for 50 to help
India take the series lead.
Thanks to a compact 105 by in-form Kohli, the new look
Indian side under Gautam Gambhir put on 276 as they were
bowled out in 49 overs after the hosts were sent in to bat.
Fresh from his back-to-back centuries in Ranji Trophy,
the Delhi lad played a neat and chanceless knock from 104
balls with 10 boundaries for his second consecutive and fourth
overall one-day century.
But Kohli's dismissal brought in a stunning Indian
collapse as the lower-order managed 26 runs from last six
overs something that exposed the new look side's inexperience
at this level.
At 250/4 in the 44th over, with Kohli going great guns, a
total in excess of 300 looked within easy reach but it was not
the case after the centurion's dismissal by Andy McKay.
But New Zealand fought back with a planned and calculated
bowling in the fag-end especially by left-arm seamer McKay who
returned with a career-best figures of 10-1-62-4.
New ball bowlers Kyle Mills and Daryl Tuffey claimed
three for 42 and two for 56 respectively.
With no McCullum, the New Zealand openers of Jamie How
and Martin Guptill lacked the firepower as the visitors were
slow and cautious to start with.
Nehra broke the opening stand for 32 scalping How (9) as
his partner Guptill, after being dropped twice by Murali
Vijay, did not last long departing for 30. MORE