Cricket: Late flourish lifts NZ to 270 against India

Jesse Ryder led NZ's charge, sharing in another 100 run opening stand. Photo / Getty Images

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Brendon McCullum top-scored with 77 as New Zealand reached 270 for five today, setting India 271 to win the rain-reduced fourth limited-overs cricket international and clinch the series.

The target was later revised to 281 under the Duckworth-Lewis method for time lost in the innings.

McCullum put on 102 for the first wicket with Jesse Ryder, who made 46, but the New Zealand innings - twice interrupted by rain - temporarily lost momentum as five wickets fell for 73 runs between the 20th and 37th overs.

Wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan and all-rounder Grant Elliott helped restore the innings with an unbroken partnership of 95 from 61 balls for the sixth wicket, scoring at nine runs per over through the last 10.

McGlashan finished 56 not out on his home ground, posting his maiden half century in one-day internationals from 38 balls with five fours and a six. Elliott made an unbeaten 35 from 27 balls.

Earlier, Ryder and McCullum looked comfortable in their opening partnership against an Indian attack restored almost to full strength by the return from injury of Ishant Sharma, who missed earlier matches with a shoulder injury.

They guided New Zealand to 50 in 43 minutes with Ryder providing 31 of those runs, then raised their century partnership at the end of the 18th over.

Ryder was 45 and McCullum 48 when the New Zealand hundred was raised but their partnership dissolved soon after when Ryder was caught by Suresh Raina off Yuvraj Singh from the first ball of the 20th over.

McCullum passed his half century in 92 minutes in a short-lived second wicket stand with Ross Taylor (5) but was out in the 34th over, with his team 155 for three, just as New Zealand had begun its batting power play.

The out-of-form Jacob Oram fell for one and Martin Guptill for 25 in the same period, weakening the New Zealand innings before the first of two interruptions.

Players left the field for 30 minutes during the 42nd over when New Zealand was 209-5 and again, more briefly, in the 44th over at 223-5.

India won two of the first three matches in the series and one was washed out.

-AP