Rayudu to the rescue as India wrap up series

WELLINGTON: A commanding knock of 90 by Ambati Rayudu rescued India from deep trouble and saw them beat New Zealand by 35 runs in the fifth One-day International here on Sunday to wrap up the series 4-1.

India made a disastrous start and were four for 18 before Rayudu, with help from Vijay Shankar, steered the side to 252 and New Zealand in reply were all out for 217.It did look as if India were heading for another defeat when Matt Henry and Trent Boult ripped out the first four wickets in under 10 overs.

But when the swing bowlers were taken out of the equation, Rayudu and Shankar toyed with the attack, putting on 98 for the fifth wicket before Shankar was run out on 45.Rayudu, who faced 84 deliveries to reach 44, needed only 27 more for his remaining 46 runs in an innings that included eight fours and four sixes.

He was removed when Henry came back for his second spell. Hardik Pandya provided late fireworks for India with 45 off 22 deliveries, while Henry finished with four for 35.Like India, New Zealand’s top order also went cheaply, before a 67-run stand by Williamson (39) and Tom Latham (37) for the fourth wicket.But after they went in quick succession, Yuzvendra Chahal led a spin assault that saw the hosts all out for 217, with Chahal taking three lbw decisions for 41.

India won toss

India

*R Sharma b Henry 2

S Dhawan c Henry b Boult 6

S Gill c Santner b Henry 7

A Rayudu c Munro b Henry 90

†M Dhoni b Boult 1

V Shankar run out 45

K Jadhav b Henry 34

H Pandya c Boult b Neesham 45

B Kumar c Taylor b Boult 6

M Shami run out 1

Y Chahal not out 0

Extras (b 5, lb 7, w 2, nb 1) 15

Total (all out; 49.5 overs) 252

Fall: 1-8, 2-12, 3-17, 4-18, 5-116, 6-190, 7-203, 8-248, 9-252, 10-252

Bowling: Henry 10-1-35-4 (1 nb); Boult 9.5-2-39-3 (2 w); Neesham 5-0-33-1; de Grandhomme 7-0-33-0; Munro 10-0-47-0; Santner 3-0-18-0; Astle 5-0-35-0

New Zealand

C Munro b Shami 24

H Nicholls c Jadhav b Shami 8

*K Williamson c Dhawan b Jadhav 39

R Taylor lbw Pandya 1

†T Latham lbw Chahal 37

J Neesham run out 44

C de Grandhomme lbw Chahal 11

M Santner c Shami b Pandya 22

T Astle lbw Chahal 10

M Henry not out 17

T Boult c Shami b Kumar 1

Extras (w 3) 3

Total (all out; 44.1 overs) 217

Fall: 1-18, 2-37, 3-38, 4-105, 5-119, 6-135, 7-176, 8-194, 9-204, 10-217

Bowling: Kumar 7.1-0-38-1; Shami 8-0-35-2 (1 w); Pandya 8-1-50-2 (1 w); Shankar 4-0-19-0; Chahal 10-0-41-3; Jadhav 7-0-34-1 (1 w)

Result: India won by 35 runs

Man of the Match: Ambati Rayudu (India)

Series: India won 5-match series 4-1

Man of the Series: Mohammed Shami (India)

Umpires: Shaun George (South Africa) and Wayne Knights (New Zealand). TV umpire: Nigel Llong (England). Match referee: David Boon (Australia)