India sign off in style

Despite stiff resistance from Kiwis in two Tests,hosts pocket series with innings and 198-run win

Few batsmen have been subjected to the harrowing experience of waiting for the third umpire to decide upon their fate at the crease for as long as Tim Southee was made to at the VCA Stadium on Tuesday. While everyone on the field stood staring at the big-screen flashing decision pending,the minutes ticked by annoyingly slow.

The young Kiwi fast bowler had completely missed an attempted hoick off Harbhajan Singh before a fumbling MS Dhoni had knocked the bails off. And it was only after seeing a barrage of replays and an extensive delay that TV umpire Sanjay Hazare was convinced to give Southee the green signal to continue his innings.

In stark contrast to Southees acquittal,it became apparent rather quickly on the fourth morning that the Kiwi batsmen would not survive the challenge. On comparatively flat wickets in the first two Tests at Ahmedabad and Hyderabad,the New Zealand batsmen had kept the No. 1 team in the world at bay with some disciplined batting. The verdict,however,was still out on whether the visitors could display similar resilience when faced with a turning track-or a typical Indian wicket as skipper Dhoni likes to call itagainst the spinners. In the end,the hosts had sealed the issue half hour into the second session and finally stamped their superiority over New Zealand with a comprehensive innings and 198 run victory in Nagpur.

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It took less than three overs in the morning for Pragyan Ojha to commence the rot as he trapped opener Brendon McCullum in front of his stumps. With the pitches in the two previous matches having offered little help to the Indian spin-duo,the Kiwis had employed the tactic of staying back in their crease and delaying their shots to perfection. But with the ball turning and bouncing menacingly off the Jamtha wicket,the need of the hour was for McCullum & Co to try and stretch as far ahead as possible and nullify the spin.

And with most of them only managing to offer a tentative prod in defence,Ojha,Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina made them pay dearly,snaring seven wickets between themthough Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor were victims of rank umpiring guffaws.

While Ojha got rid off McCullum and Guptill,Harbhajan added two crucial scalps to his tally,dismissing Gareth Hopkins and Taylor,ending with three wickets overall. But while the spinners laid the base,in what would have been certainly a heart-warming sign for the team management,it was Ishant Sharma who ensured that there would be no late-order resistance from New Zealand this time around. He first went through the defenses of youngster Kane Williamson,before repeating the act twice in one over while picking up the final two wickets-Southee and Chris Marin to set off rather sedate celebrations in the Indian camp.

Eventually,after holding their own for a majority of the series,New Zealand had folded up rather meekly. And though the eventual result never was in doubt,even the Indians seemed surprised by the swiftness with which the Kiwis crumbled and handed them a hard-earned 1-0 series triumph.