Cricket: Kiwis save face but India win series

India 583-7 dec and 148-5 dec New Zealand 308 and 252-2 Match drawn

STEPHEN FLEMING, the New Zealand captain, led an impressive batting display as his team forced a draw in the final Test against India in Ahmedabad yesterday. India, however, won the series 1-0 - ensuring their unbeaten home record since 1987 remained intact.

The Kiwis, needing to bat out the fifth day after being set a victory target of 424, played superbly to make 252 for 2 in their second innings. Fleming made 64 not out, adding 121 for the third wicket with Craig Spearman (54 no). The openers Gary Stead (78) and Matt Horne (41) put on 131 for the first wicket.

Sachin Tendulkar, India's captain, had no regrets about his decision on Monday not to enforce the follow-on despite a first-innings lead of 275. "Not only did the bowlers need a rest but the wicket was too flat to help the spinners," he said. India's leg-spinner, Anil Kumble, who took 20 wickets in the series, was man of the series.

THIRD TEST

(Final day of five, India won toss)

India - First innings 583 for 7 dec (Tendulkar 217) Second innings 148 for 5 dec.

New Zealand - First innings 308 (Astle 74, Cairns 72, Kumble 5-82)

New Zealand - Second innings

(Overnight: 21 for 0)

M J Horne c Sub b Kumble 41

G R Stead c M Prasad b Singh 78

C M Spearman not out 54

*S P Fleming not out 64

Extras (1b, 5lb, 9nb) 15

Total (2 wickets, 95 overs) 252

Fall: 1-131, 2-131.

Did not bat: N J Astle, A C Parore, C L Cairns, C Z Harris, D J Nash D L Vettori, P J Wiseman.

Bowling: Srinath 15-3-59-0; B Prasad 13-2-36-0; Kumble 31-16-57-1; Singh 26-8-55-1; Tendulkar 5-2-19-0; Ganguly 4-0-20-0; Dravid 1-1-0-0.

Umpires: V K Ramaswamy (India) and R E Koertzen (SA).