India outclass New Zealand by six wickets

India created history on Friday by taking over as the number one team in the ICC ODI rankings.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys outclassed New Zealand by six wickets in the second match of the tri-series in Colombo, on Friday, which also ensured that they toppled South Africa from the top of the rankings.

Chasing a meagre 156 for victory, Sachin Tendulkar gave India a solid start with a quick 46. Suresh Raina chipped in with a brisk 45 not out and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was unbeaten on 35 as India romped home with 57 deliveries to spare.

Earlier, electing to bat, New Zealand could only post a meagre 155, dismissed in 46.3 overs. Ashish Nehra triggered a batting collapse with a couple of early wickets to end up with three wickets for 24, while part-timer Yuvraj Singh made a handsome contribution, claiming three for 31 in ten overs.

For the second straight match, the batsmen let the Kiwis down. Captain Daniel Vettori was the top-scorer with 25, while Jacob Oram scored 24, the top and middle order again failing to adjust on a slow pitch at the R Premadasa stadium.

New Zealand:

Ashish Nehra gave India a flying start, claiming two wickets in his first overs, both leg before decisions.

Left-hander Jesse Ryder fell for a duck off the third ball of the innings when he tried to play across the line but missed the incoming delivery. (1-1, 0.3)

Nehra then claimed the wicket of Brendon McCullum, his 100th victim in ODIs.

McCullum was looking to advance down the wicket, but got beaten by the swing and struck on the back foot right in front of the stumps. (4-2, 2.2)

At the other end, R P Singh toiled before finally getting a wicket he deserved. He forced Ross Taylor to play at an out-swinging delivery and had him caught behind for 11. New Zealand were in more trouble. (19-3, 5.5)

The three Indian fast bowlers, including Ishant Sharma, kept it very tight and even singles were difficult to come by. There were as many as 46 dot balls in the first ten overs as New Zealand crawled to 30 for three.

Dhoni then took a smart gamble by introducing part-timer Yuvraj Singh ahead of regular spinner Harbhajan Singh. And the left-arm spinner struck in his very first over. Martin Guptill, looking solid on 22 from 42 deliveries, edged one that turned a bit and comeback man Rahul Dravid, at first slip, took a sharp, low catch on his left.

Yuvraj should have bagged a second wicket a few overs later, courtesy some sharp glovework by Dhoni. Grant Elliott's right leg was clearly outside the crease when Dhoni had whipped off the bails, but the third umpire ruled in the batsman's favour despite there being no doubt at all.

But there was sweet justice for Yuvraj in the next over itself when Elliott (22 from 39 deliveries) was given caught down the leg side. A few looks at the replays couldn't confirm whether the ball had hit pad or bat before being gloved by Dhoni. (66-5, 20.3)

Dhoni never let the Kiwis off the hook, having Ishant Sharma replace Yuvraj in the middle overs. His decision paid dividends as Ishant struck with the key wicket of Oram, who was deceived by a slower delivery and caught and bowled for 24 from 45 deliveries. (101-6, 28.1)

Yuvraj, introduced for his second spell after the drinks break, struck with his first delivery of the new spell. Neil Broom, after a brisk 21 from 28 deliveries, tried to whip Yuvraj through the leg side but Suresh Raina held a good, low catch on his left at midwicket. (116-7, 32.1)

Despite Yuvraj picking three wickets, frontline spinner Harbhajan Singh could not fully utilise the conditions and went for 35 in his first seven overs.

As expected, Kyle Mills didn't survive for long and was the eighth wicket to fall when he dragged one to his stumps off RP Singh, as New Zealand's woes continued. (134-8, 38)

Vettori battled doggedly for 25 runs from 36 deliveries but was outdone by a superb piece of bowling by Ishant. The India speedster first softened Vettori with a quick bouncer and followed it up with a full in-swinging delivery that beat the batsman all ends and crashed into the stumps. (142-9, 42.3)

Nehra finished things off when he got the final wicket, that of Ian Butler (6), who chipped it straight to Harbhajan at cover.

New Zealand's batting failed for the second match in a row as they were bowled out for a lowly 155 in 46.3 overs.

The most disappointing aspect of New Zealand's innings was that they could only score nine boundaries. It underlined the fact that their batsmen never got the measure of the pitch and tried to take the bowlers on and force them to re-think their game plan.

India:

India were dealt an early jolt when Dinesh Karthik fell leg before wicket to Kyle Mills in the third over of the innings for 4. Closer looks at the replays showed that the India opener was unlucky to be adjudged leg before as the ball looked to heading towards leg stump and outside. (7-1, 2.3)

That wicket brought together India's two most experienced batsmen in Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. The going was not easy even for the two veterans with the slow pitch making strokeplay very difficult.

Tendulkar finally broke the shackles when he flicked Mills through midwicket for India's first boundary in the seventh over of the innings.

While Tendulkar looked quite settled, at the other end Dravid (9 from 27 deliveries) was struggling to get going as India reached 34 for one after 10 overs.

Tendulkar's confidence seemed to be growing and he proved it by stroking Ian Butler for two cracking boundaries to get 11 runs from the 11th over.

Daniel Vettori, realising the need for a few quick wickets, came into the attack in the 12th over. The Kiwi captain should have got the wicket of Tendulkar (31), who was beaten by the straighter delivery and hit on the pads right in front of the stumps, but umpire Billy Doctrove was unmoved.

The two batsmen brought up their 50-run partnership for the second wicket in the 14th over, Tendulkar contributing 38 from 40 deliveries and Dravid just 13 from 32.

Dravid, looking to spend time in the middle, was unlucky to be given out leg before wicket. The ball struck him on middle stump and looked to be heading further down leg stump but umpire Kumar Dharmasena thought otherwise. (67-2, 18.1)

Dravid's painstaking knock of 14 from 45 deliveries finally came to an end but not before he was involved in the second wicket partnership of 60 runs in 15.4 overs.

Then, out of nowhere, New Zealand sprung back to life as Tendulkar fell to a pretty tame dismissal. The veteran batsman, looking confident on 46 from 55 deliveries, lobbed Vettori straight to Guptill at short cover much to the disbelief of everyone watching. (71-3, 19.2)

The two quick wickets saw India's run rate come tumbling down, but the low target meant the chase would not face any problem.

Yuvraj Singh (8) did not last long; he gifted his wicket to Vettori. Trying the slog sweep over midwicket, he ended up spooning a simple catch to Guptill at square leg. (84-4, 24)

Suddenly there was some hope for the Kiwis as India lost three quick wickets in the space of five overs for the addition of just 17 runs.

New batsman Suresh Raina started off by despatching Vettori over midwicket for the first six of the innings. He slog-swept part-timer Guptill for another maximum in the 34th over as India's innings finally gathered momentum, Dhoni also looking busy at the other end.

Raina then pulled Butler through midwicket for a boundary to bring up the 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Dhoni. He was tested with a few short deliveries which he let go at the start but once the left-hander got settled he looked to take them on.

There was no further drama as India cruised to 156 for four in 40.3 overs and won by a comfortable six-wicket margin.

Dhoni was unbeaten on 35 from 65 deliveries, while Raina scored a brisk 45 not out from 54, the two batsmen involved in an unbroken stand of 72 runs in 16.3 overs.

Bond did a good job with the ball, giving away just 30 runs in his 10 overs, but, importantly for India, they didn't give him any wickets.

Vettori claimed two for 33, but the small target meant that he could not really do much.

India also broke the chasing jinx at this venue, as the team batting second had lost in the last 11 games.

With New Zealand having lost both their matches, India and Sri Lanka have now qualified for the final.

They will clash in an inconsequential group match, on Saturday, which should serve as a dress rehearsal for Monday's title clash.

Photograph: Reuters