4.45 am
CENTURION - Middle-order batsmen Mohammad Kaif and Rahul Dravid shared an unbeaten century partnership this morning to guide India to a comfortable seven wicket win over New Zealand.
Kaif scored 68 and Dravid 53, after India had survived some early scares, to take their side to victory with overs to spare this morning.
Fast bowler Shane Bond was again the dangerman as the New Zealanders, who needed victory to ensure a semi-final place, reduced the Indians to 21 for three, including the prize wicket of Sachin Tendulkar for 15.
The Kiwis should have had a fourth wicket but wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum dropped a straightforward chance from Rahul Dravid off Shane Bond when he had scored only one.
Bond, who captured six for 23 against Australia, worked up a tremendous pace to dismiss Virender Sehwag for one and captain Saurav Ganguly for three. Tendulkar struck Daryl Tuffey for three consecutive fours then threw his bat at a delivery outside the off-stump and slashed the ball to Jacob Oram who took a smart low catch at point.
New Zealand were dismissed in 45.1 overs after being asked to bat by Ganguly.
Left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan took four for 42 after dismissing Craig McMillan and Nathan Astle for ducks with consecutive deliveries in his first over.
He returned to capture his 100th one-day international wicket by bowling McCullum for four then trapped Chris Harris lbw for 17.
Only captain Stephen Fleming with 30 from 59 balls stood firm against the impressive India pace attack, although Chris Cairns looked briefly capable of resurrecting the innings before he was caught for 20.
* Ganguly's decision was immediately vindicated when McMillan turned his second delivery to Harbhajan Singh at square-leg. Astle was lbw playing across the line for his second consecutive duck of the tournament. Scott Styris off-drove his first ball for two, then played the ball crisply to leg for a boundary. He followed up with a single off the last ball. 7-2, 1 over.
* Fleming took his first boundary through the covers off Khan. He struck two further fours in Khan's third over, one through mid-on off the back foot followed by a leg-glance. 32-2, 5 overs.
* Ganguly replaced Khan with Ashish Nehra who started with a maiden. Nehra started with a maiden then moved the ball away late from Styris off the pitch with the first delivery of his second over and the tall New Zealander was out for 15, edging an easy catch to Dravid behind the stumps. 40-3, 10 overs.
* Nehra, bowling a full length outside the off-stump and working up to full pace, restricted Fleming and McCullum to singles. Khan returned to bowl McCullum with a good length ball which moved back off the pitch. 52-4, 15 overs.
* Fleming positioned himself for the pull against Javagal Srinath, checked his shot and hit the simplest of catches to Tendulkar. Harris, New Zealand's last recognised batsman, opened his account with a boundary, pulling the ball behind square with both feet off the ground. He took another four with a more authentic shot off the back foot through extra-cover off Srinath. 70-5, 20 overs.
* Harbhajan was introduced into the attack and Cairns greeted him with a splendid drive through extra-cover for four. Eight runs came off the over. Ganguly brought himself on at the other end with his gentle medium pace and conceded only one run from his first over.
* Cairns tried to slash Harbhajan to the boundary but succeeded only in hitting the ball straight to Khan at point. 88-6, 26 overs.
* Khan picked up a fourth wicket when Harris pushed half-forward and was struck on the pads. Daniel Vettori survived a big shout for lbw in the same over. 98-7, 30 overs.
* Vettori got off the mark with a four through leg, bringing up the 100 from 30.5 overs. Nehra bowled a maiden to finish a fine spell of 10-3-24-1. Tendulkar came on for the second time in the tournament, conceding three runs. 113-7, 35 overs.
* Left-hander Oram played one of the best shots of the day with a lofted on-drive off Harbhajan to the boundary. Vettori was altogether more tentative against Harbhajan and after scoring 13 he was caught at slip by Ganguly pushing forward. 129-8, 40 overs.
* Daryl Tuffey opened his account with four through the covers then smacked a short delivery from Tendulkar to the boundary. Oram reached 23 before playing an ugly cross-batted swipe against against occasional off spinner Sehwag. The ball bounced off his pad on to the stumps. 146-9, 45 overs.
* Ganguly brought on an eighth bowler, left-arm spinner Dinesh Mongia who was immediately successful when Tuffey (11) pushed his first ball straight back for a simple caught and bowled. 146-10, 45.1 overs.8
* Bond, working up a fierce pace, beat Sehwag outside the off-stump for pace. Sehwag flashed at the last ball of the over and the ball flew to second slip where Styris took a stinging catch moving swiftly to his left.
* Bond bowled Ganguly off-stump with a late-swinging yorker. Tendulkar off-drove Tuffey with immaculate timing for consecutive fours, then swivelled to hook another boundary. But after playing the next delivery to his feet he slashed the ball straight to Oram. 22-3, 5 overs.
* Bond, bowling around 150 kms an hour, should have had a third wicket with no addition to the score when Dravid on one edged a full delivery. McCullum, moving to his right, dropped the chance. 40-3, 10 overs.
* Harris, leaping high, got his fingertips to a half-chance from Kaif (6) off Bond at cover. Kaif smashed Bond through extra cover for four off the front foot, to reduce the India target to less than a hundred. 65-3, 15 overs.
* Kaif drove Oram confidently through the covers and then took a single to bring up the 50 partnership. 73-3, 18 overs.
* Fleming introduced slow left-armer Vettori in to the attack and Dravid cut him firmly for four. McMillan came on at the other end to bowl his occasional medium pace, banging the ball in short to Kaif. Bond returned to the attack and started with a maiden. 91-3, 25 overs.
* Kaif and Dravid continued to accumulate runs steadily without taking any risks, bringing up the 100 in the 30th over. 103-3, 30 overs.
* Kaif brought up his fourth one-day international half-century with a four through the covers. He had batted for 98 balls and hit six fours. Tuffey finished his spell, with figures of 10-1-41-1. The pair brought up their 100 partnership after 176 balls. 150-3, 40.4 overs.
- REUTERS
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