KATHMANDU, March 21: Harbhajan Singh took six wickets to guide India to a 10-wicket victory over New Zealand on the fourth day of the first Test in Hamilton, Saturday, sportinglife.com reported.
Sachin Tendulkar´s 160 runs, his 42nd century, had put the visitors in a strong position Friday as they finished their first innings with 520 runs for a 241 run lead. [break]
Tendulkar was named Man of the Match.
A defiant ninth-wicket partnership between Brendon McCullum and Iain O´Brien delayed the inevitable as their 76-run stand pushed the hosts to 279 and forced India to bat again but needing just 39 for victory.
Gautam Gambhir, who was 30 not out and Rahul Dravid (eight) then swiftly wrapped up the win in 5.2 overs.
It marked the first victory for India´s in the country for 33 years. They lead the three-match series 1-0.
After the damage done by Tendulkar, Harbhajan proved to be New Zealand´s chief tormentor Saturday as he took six for 63 from 28 overs.
The 28-year-old dismissed Martin Guptil before stumps yesterday and then Jesse Ryder this morning before taking three more scalps after lunch and then removing Iain O´Brien in the final session.
The hosts had resumed this morning on 75 for three with Daniel Flynn on 24 alongside Ross Taylor.
The two had made a solid start before Taylor fell for just four when he slashed Munaf Patel´s delivery straight to Virender Sehwag at gully.
Ryder came in looking to impose himself immediately as he hit a four off the second ball before hitting another four and six off Zaheer Khan while Flynn reached his third test half century from 118 balls.
But Ryder was trapped lbw by Harbhajan in the 52nd over. All-rounder James Franklin was out for 14 when he ballooned Harbhajan´s delivery towards Munaf at point to make the easy catch.
Flynn (67) was the next to fall victim to Harbahajn when he saw his valiant contribution brought to an end soon after, getting a thin inside edge onto the pad allowing Gautam Gambhir to make the simple catch.
That brought McCullum and Vettori together at the crease and they battled for an eight-wicket stand of 38 until the latter´s inside edge onto the pad was picked off by MS Dhoni, bringing an end to the New Zealand captain´s innings of 21 with the hosts 199 for eight.
McCullum then offered a stubborn resistance alongside O´Brien and the pair set about erasing India´s lead and forcing them to bat again to seal the win.
That resistance ended when O´Brien (14) was caught by VVS Laxman from Harbhajan´s delivery before McCullum´s wicket fell for 84 soon after when he got a thick top edge to Laxman at short fine-leg.
The second test gets underway on Thursday in Napier.
Courtesy: www.sportinglife.com
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