NZ win it in the gloaming

By Richard Boock

DUNEDIN - New Zealand beat India by 66 runs in the exhibition one-day cricket match in Dunedin last night, or so the match officials claim.

If it was not for the occasional sighting of something red streaking through the outfield, it might all have been an elaborate hoax.

The experimental idea of playing this match under lights with a red ball seemed to present few problems to the batting or fielding teams, but the same could not be said for the 4000-strong crowd - many of whom would have been lucky to spot the ball if it had hit them between the eyes.

As an exercise in promoting cricket in these parts the theory had its merits, but if it is to become a regular event organisers might want to consider using those custom-made balls for the blind, so at least fans can hear where it is, even if they cannot see it.

As it was, the latter stages of last night's contest - as India chased New Zealand's 304 for six - resembled a cricket pantomime, where patrons depended solely on the actions of the players to locate the ball.

Ironically, New Zealand saved one of their best one-day batting performances on home soil for a match which counted for nothing. Their highest official total in New Zealand was 304 for five against Sri Lanka at Eden Park in 1982-83, and their highest on Carisbrook, 272 for six against Sri Lanka in 1991-92.

Matt Horne, Stephen Fleming and Craig McMillan made the major contributions before Adam Parore, Chris Cairns and Dion Nash brought out the long handle in the closing stages, but it was the organisation of the innings as much as the final total which would have encouraged the Kiwi camp.

There were three partnerships worth more than 50 in the top order, and all the specialist batsman apart from Nathan Astle had a decent look at an Indian attack.

Horne demonstrated the absurdity of the decision not to play him in Bangladesh, crashing 64 at a run-a-ball as he and Matthew Bell belted along at six-an-over, and then teamed up with Fleming to add 57 for the second wicket.

Fleming swayed between breathless strokeplay and the odd bout of narcolepsy, but still hit five fours, two sixes and a 50 off just 48 balls, while Horne was only marginally quicker.

In reply, India gave the total a shake at the start of their innings, with V.V.S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid both scoring freely, but after those two left it soon became apparent that the tourists already had one eye on Wellington.

Laxman's 83 was scored off 103 balls, Dravid struck five fours and six in a 62-ball 51, but India's star act, Sachin Tendulkar, managed only 16 before front-edging a return catch to Astle.

From there on it was all downhill.