hamilton, january 28
India slumped to their second consecutive series defeat overseas as New Zealand rode on Ross Taylor’s unbeaten century to thrash the visitors by seven wickets in the fourth One-dayer and take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match rubber here today.

Chasing 279 for victory, the Kiwis reached 280 for three in 48.1 overs with Taylor scoring a match-winning 127-ball 112 not out to take the hosts home with 11 balls to spare.

Taylor also shared two important partnerships — first with Kane Williamson (60) putting on 130-run for the third wicket and then with skipper Brendon McCullum (49 not out), an unbroken 92 runs for the fourth wicket. For India, Mohammed Shami (1/61) and Varun Aaron (1/51) were the only wicket-takers but they proved to be extremely expensive. Ravindra Jadeja (0/33) and R Ashwin (0-41) bowled economically, but could not claim a wicket, which cost the team dear. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/62) too proved to be ineffective.

Earlier, India skipper MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja produced magnificent late onslaught after opener Rohit Sharma scored a half-century to guide India to 278 for five in their allotted 50 overs.

In reply, New Zealand got-off to a rollicking start with Jesse Ryder and Martin Guptill spanking the Indian bowling attack. The two of them scored a flurry of boundaries, especially off Mohammed Shami’s bowling, and hit 10 fours and a six between them in their opening stand of 54 runs.

But once again Ryder failed to last long and was bowled in the eighth over by first-change Varun Aaron. He scored 19 off 18 balls with four boundaries. Guptill was gone four runs later in the next over as Shami exacted trapped him LBW. He scored 35 off 27 balls (6X4, 1X6).

Williamson and Taylor thereafter capitalised on the platform laid by the openers. — PTI

Hamilton, january28
New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum says beating World Champions India in a One-day series was “hell of an achievement” and acknowledged crucial contributions with the bat from Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson in their “emphatic” victory.

“This is a big moment for us. We are obviously proud with what we achieved in South Africa and England in those one-day series. But India were number one in the world when they arrived here and we knew how dominant their batting line-up was. To have tipped them up and be sitting after the fourth game at 3-0 is a pretty good achievement for us,” McCullum said.

The hosts target to win the last match. “The last game is also important and 4-0 is what we are striving for.” — PTI

hamilton, january 28
A dejected India captain MS Dhoni held the poor performance of his pacers responsible for the visitors’ humiliating 0-3 ODI series loss against New Zealand.

“Frankly, our bowling was quite disappointing. This was a kind of wicket where one thing you don’t want to do is to bowl short and wide. I think we consistently did that with the new ball and the older ball. We often complain about the five fielders outside the circle, but when you bowl short and wide it doesn’t matter. I think the fast bowlers gave away too many runs. Talking about spinners, they bowled well and hit the right areas,” Dhoni said.

The skipper praised the New Zealand bowlers for hitting the right areas and not allowing the Indian batsmen free their arms. — PTI 

Scoreboard
India
Rohit c Ronchi b Williamson 79
Kohli c Neesham b Southee 2
Rahane c Southee b Mills 3
Rayudu c Ronchi b Bennett 37
Dhoni not out 79
Ashwin c Bennett b Southee 5
Jadeja not out 62
Extras (lb 4, w 7) 11
Total (5 wickets; 50 overs) 278
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-22, 3-101, 4-142, 5-151

Bowling
Mills 10-2-42-1
Southee 10-1-36-2
Bennett 9-0-67-1
Neesham 8-0-59-0
McCullum 10-0-44-0
Williamson 3-0-26-1

New Zealand 
Guptill lbw b Shami 35
Ryder b Aaron 19
Williamson run out (Jadeja) 60
Taylor not out1 12
McCullum not out 49
Extras (b 1, w 3, nb 1) 5
Total (3 wickets; 48.1 overs) 280
Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-58, 3-188

Bowling
Kumar 10-0-62-0
Shami 8-0-61-1
Aaron 6.1-0-51-1
Jadeja 10-2-33-0
Ashwin 10-0-41-0
Binny 1-0-8-0
Rayudu 3-0-23-0

NEW DELHI, january 28
Former captain Mohammed Azharuddin reckons that the Indian team’s opening woes will continue to create problems during next year’s World Cup if Shikhar Dhawan fails to work on technical flaws that have crept into his batting.

“I had observed Shikhar’s problem with the short ball when he played in the Champions Trophy. There he scored runs and it was not noticed but I had an idea that this would create problems. Shikhar does not have the proper technique to play the short ball. He has a flaw in his basic technique,” Azharuddin said. “Our opening partnership is of big concern. Since the series in South Africa, we have not got good starts. India will be returning to New Zealand for the World Cup and adaptability is the key. Opening will be a major concern for India.”

Asked to elaborate on Dhawan’s problems, the 50-year-old explained, “Firstly, he doesn’t leave the rising deliveries and has a tendency to awkwardly fend at them which is wrong.”

“Secondly, he stands outside the crease which is the reason he meets the rising delivery early which is also a mistake. The more you use the depth of the crease, it helps you play the ball late.”

But having pointed out Dhawan’s mistakes, he also admitted that there aren’t too many openers on the horizon either. “That’s also a problem. Viru (Sehwag) hasn’t scored any runs and Gautam (Gambhir), I believe, also has problems with short deliveries. So what does Dhoni do? He has a genuine problem.”

Azharuddin was also not happy with the team combination in the ongoing series against New Zealand and questioned the team management’s decision to keep pacer Umesh Yadav out of the side. “Where is Umesh? He is there in the squad and is a better option than Ishant Sharma. Also I believe that it was a good decision to leave (Suresh) Raina out. He has got enough chances and some of the others now need to be tried out before the World Cup.” — PTI

Chandigarh, January 28
The first day of the International Cricket Council's Board meeting turned out to be a typical give-and-take affair with the Big Three conceding some ground, and the small seven reciprocating the gesture.

In what could be seen as a big climb down from their position, the members agreed that “there will be an opportunity for all members to play all formats of cricket on merit, with participation based on meritocracy; no immunity to any country, and no change to membership status”. This is in sharp contrast to the idea of two-tier system proposed by the BCCI, the CA and the ECB, wherein the three would have enjoyed immunity from relegation from the top tier.

Besides, the members also agreed to set up a Test Cricket Fund, paid equally on an annual basis to all Full Members (except the BCCI, the CA and the ECB) to encourage and support Test match cricket. The Big three however seem to have got their way as far as the leadership role, overruling FTP is concerned (See box).

While the ICC claimed that the members were unanimous in their opinion on the matter, there are reports suggesting that the proposal met with stiff resistance, especially from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The ECB reportedly issued a press release, saying they are opposed to the proposals. It was reportedly in the face of this opposition that the proposals were not put to vote and the issue will be discussed again next month.

Alan Isaac, the ICC president, said: “This is an important time for world cricket and it is extremely encouraging that the ICC Board has unanimously supported a set of far-reaching principles that will underpin the long-term prosperity of the global game.

“These principles emphasise the primacy of Test cricket and that for the first time in cricket's history participation will be based entirely on meritocracy, giving everyone powerful incentives to play better cricket and develop better cricketers.

“There is more work to be done by the members in developing their schedules of bilateral cricket while at the ICC we need to work through the detail of the manner in which these principles will be implemented,” said the ICC president.

New Delhi , january 28
The Daredevils might have finished last in IPL VI but former India coach Gary Kirsten feels it is an opportunity for the beleaguered side to do well this season and said his experience with Team India will help him in his new role as head coach of the Delhi Franchise.

“You got to come out and do work hard, give it your best shot. Sometimes, when the team has not done well, that is not a bad thing. Because, you have an opportunity to really improve. I am looking forward to the Delhi Daredevils having a successful future,” said Kirsten, who had coached the Indian side to win the 2011 cricket World Cup.

“There is lot of work we have to do, we have to put a squad together. We have to get lot of the pieces of the puzzle in place.”

Delhi haven’t retained any player from their previous squad. — PTI

Ludhiana, january 28
The 78th edition of the Kila Raipur Sports Festival will be held from January 30 to February 2. GS Grewal, the Grewal Sports Association president, said several events, including the traditional events like bullock cart races, horse races, dog race, tug-of-war et al will be held during the three-day extravaganza.

One of the main features of the event will be the hockey tournament for the golden Bhagwant Memorial Gold Cup.

The festival will be declared open formally on January 31 but the time trial bullock cart races will be held on January 30. — TNS

Bhubaneshwar, january 28
Veteran drag-flicker Sandeep Singh scored twice as Punjab Warriors drubbed debutants Kalinga Lancers 7-3 in a high-scoring Hockey India League match here today.

Sandeep scored in the 28th and 40th minutes from penalty corners after Dharamvir Singh (5th) and Lucas Martin Rey (22nd) had given the Punjab side a flying start in the match.

Affan Yousaf and Simon Orchard then struck in quick succession in the 30th and 32nd minutes as the Warriors went 5-0 ahead at the breather. Captain Jamie Dwyer completed the tally with a 49th-minute goal.

The Lancers, playing their debut HIL match, got three goals back through Argentine Gonzalo Pelliat (37th and 45th) and Mandeep Antil (58th).

The Warriors now sit top of the table with 11 points from two wins and a loss. — PTI

BRIEFLY

Silva hits maiden Test ton, puts Lanka in command
Dhaka: Opener Kaushal Silva lived a charmed life on his way to a maiden Test century as Sri Lanka put Bangladesh to the sword with a big first-innings total in the opening Test in Dhaka. At the close of play, Sri Lanka had reached 375/5, a lead of 143 runs. Mahela Jayawardene was unbeaten on 42. Brief scores: Sri Lanka 375/5 (Silva 139, Sangakkara 75, Karunaratne 53) lead Bangladesh 232 by 143 runs

Zimbabwe turn down offer to play SA in one-off Test
Harare: Crippled by a player strike and facing serious financial difficulties, Zimbabwe Cricket has turned down a one-off Test against South Africa before the top-ranked South Africans host Australia next month. Zimbabwe Cricket spokesman Lovemore Banda says the Zimbabweans weren’t able to accept the offer and will instead play two Tests and a limited-overs series against South Africa sometime around August. Zimbabwe’s players have been on strike since last year over unpaid wages and bonuses and ZC has also had to cancel tours by Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Cook to miss WI tour
London: England cricket captain Alastair Cook will miss his team’s tour of the Caribbean, starting next month. Cook confirmed that he will not be part of the side which will play three one-day matches against the West Indies from Feb 28 to March 5. The decision comes on the heels of a 1-4 series defeat to Australia after losing the final match by five runs.

South Korea’s Lee banned for missing dope tests
Incheon: South Korea’s Olympic badminton gold medallist Lee Yong-dae has been hit with a one-year ban for missing doping tests, the Badminton World Federation said. The 25-year-old won mixed doubles gold at the 2008 Games in Beijing and a bronze medal in the men’s doubles in London four years later. Another Korean player, Kim Ki-jung, was also banned for one year. The ban was effective until January 23, 2015, the federation said, meaning the players would miss the Asian Games in Incheon this year. — Agencies