Ishant Sharma returned match figures of 7/58 as hosts registered an emphatic innings victory over New Zealand to win the three-match rubber 1-0; Rahul Dravid won the Man of the Match award, Harbhajan Singh the Man of the Series.
Martin Guptill, runner for Jesse Ryder, stood with his mouth agape and even let out an exasperated howl. It was hard enough to have got a bad decision when he was at the crease. He also had to watch standing next to the umpire, who had raised the finger, that Ross Taylor had not edged the ball.
Even Taylor could hardly believe that it had been adjudged a bat-pad catch. He smiled initially and then laughed his way back to the pavilion. It was difficult to say why he was amused. Whether he felt cheated or that his luck had run out after he had survived a leg-before appeal, which looked as plumb as they come.
If umpire Nigel Llong saw a thin inner edge, then it must be ever so fine because TV replays showed there was enough daylight between Taylor’s bat and ball for the Englishman to drive a London’s red bus through.
Guptill too, early in the day, had been given out trapped in front to a ball that pitched outside leg. This time, it was Simon Taufel, who surprised all.
These bad decisions and some effective bowling by Pragyan Ojha and part-timer Suresh Raina hastened the fall of New Zealand as India wrapped up the series 1-0 winning the third and final Test here.
Resuming from 24 for one, New Zealand were bowled out a little after lunch. India won the match by an innings and 198 runs. Ishant Sharma castled the last two remaining batsmen, to end with figures of 7/58 from the match.
The day began with overnight batsman Brendon McCullum trying to bludgeon the bowling so as to clear the close-in fielders. But he was trapped in front by Ojha in the third over of the day. The left-arm spinner sent back Guptill in his next over.
Jesse Ryder tried to delay the inevitable. Tim Southee and Andy McKay added 51 runs for the ninth wicket.
Southee hammered three sixes that were loudly cheered by schoolkids. The children were even more vociferous after lunch when he charged down to Sharma and tried to pull one out of the stadium. He missed it to see the leather hit the top of middle and off.
Sharma got last batsman Chris Martin out for a golden duck the next ball when the 35-year-old stood rooted to his spot and tried to poke at short-of-length delivery. He missed to see the woodwork upset. The bowler leaped a little and punched the air.
India wrapped up the series in which they have been much criticised. The table toppers will still be tanked one point for drawing two matches.
However, in this Test, Sharma and Sreesanth bowled their hearts out and ended. Things seem to be finally falling in place for Dhoni, ahead of the important series in South Africa.
And like the captain said before the match that if little things are taken care of, the rankings will take care of themselves.
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