Cricket: Khan destroys New Zealand batting

12.25pm

UPDATE - India left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan took four wickets tonight to destroy the New Zealand batting in their final World Cup Super Six match.

After 40 overs, New Zealand were 129 for eight and facing elimination from the tournament.


Khan dismissed Craig McMilland and Nathan Astle for ducks with consecutive deliveries in his first over.

He returned to capture his 100th one-day international wicket by bowling Brendon 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 while Chris Cairns looked briefly capable of resurrecting the innings before he was caught for 20.


* Saurav Ganguly won the toss and asked New Zealand to bat. His decision was immediately vindicated when McMillan turned his second delivery to Harbhajan Singh at square-leg. Astle was lbwo 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 Rahul 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.


- REUTERS

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