Hirwani takes six as India clinch series

India 296-8 dec New Zealand 175-8 Match drawn

Narendra Hirwani, the Indian leg-spinner, took 6 for 59 in the third and final Test against New Zealand in Cuttack yesterday as India won the series 1-0.

The rain-affected match ended in a draw on the fifth and final day with New Zealand making 175 for 8 declared in reply to India's first-innings score of 296 for 8 declared.

India won the first Test in Bangalore by eight wickets and the second Test in Madras was drawn after being badly disrupted by rain.

(Final day; India won toss)

INDIA - First innings 296 for 8 dec (D Nash 4-62)

NEW ZEALAND - First innings

M J Greatbatch c Jadeja b Hirwani 50

R G Twose lbw b Hirwani 36

A C Parore c Mongia b Hirwani 12

M D Crowe c Kambli b Hirwani 15

C Cairns c Jadeja b Hirwani 13

*L K Germon run out 2

M N Hart c Srinath b Hirwani 8

D J Nash not out 10

D K Morrison lbw b Kumble 0

M J Haslam not out 1

Extras b7 lb19 nb2 28

Total (for 8) 175

Did not bat: S P Fleming.

Fall: 1-86 2-109 3-130 4-139 5-151 6-155 7-166 8-166.

Bowling: Prabhakar 5-2-10-0; Srinath 8-3-16-0; Kapoor 17-3-32-0; Kumble 27-12-32-1; Hirwani 31-12-59-6.

Umpires: I Robinson (Zim), V K Ramaswamy (Ind).

First Test (in Bangalore): India won by eight wickets. Second Test (in Madras): Match drawn. (India win series 1-0).

n Pakistan, following on 366 runs behind, were 197 for 3 at the close on Saturday, needing 169 runs to avoid an innings defeat by Australia in the first Test in Brisbane. Play resumes today after yesterday's rest day. Australia took control after Shane Warne took 7 for 23 in Pakistan's first innings of 97.