MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019 16 Rayudu rescues India India overcome tough conditions to seal 4-1 ODI series win against New Zealand India overcame a India • R. Sharma b Henry 2 disastrous start to earn S. Dhawan c Henry b Boult 6 a hard fought 35-run If the series was on S. Gill c Santner b Henry 7 the line I would have win over New Zealand A. Rayudu c Munro b Henry 90 batted second, it’s in the fifth ODI M. Dhoni b Boult 1 V. Shankar run out (Munro) 45 our strength to chase K. Jadhav b Henry 34 but we wanted to test • Rayudu (90) H. Pandya c Boult b Neesham 45 ourselves, how we played one of the most B . Kumar c Taylor b Boult 6 bat. We required guys significant knocks of M. Shami run out (Boult) 1 to show character his career and made a Y. Chahal not out 0 Extras (b 5, lb 7, wd 2 nb1) 15 and they came out compelling claim for Total (for all out; 49.5 overs) 252 and showed a lot of a World Cup spot New Zealand character today C. Munro b Shami 24 ROHIT SHARMA AFP | Wellington, New Zealand H. Nicholls c Jadhav b Shami 8 K. Williamson c Dhawan b Jadhav 39 commanding knock of R. Taylor lbw Pandya 1 order also went cheaply, before 90 by Ambati Rayudu T. Latham lbw Chahal 37 a 67-run stand by Williamson Arescued India from deep J. Neesham run out (Dhoni) 44 (39) and Tom Latham (37) for trouble and saw them beat New C. de Grandhomme lbw Chahal 11 the fourth wicket. Zealand by 35 runs in the fifth M. Santner c Shami b Pandya 22 But after they went in quick one-day international in Wel- T. Astle lbw Chahal 10 succession Yuzvendra Chahal lington yesterday to wrap up the M. Henry not out 17 led a spin assault that saw the series 4-1. T. Boult c Shami b Kumar 1 hosts all out for 217, with Chahal Captain Rohit Sharma ad - Extras: (wd 3) 3 taking three lbw decisions for 41. mitted he took a gamble -- and India’s Ambati Rayudu plays a shot Total (all out; 44.1 overs) 217 James Neesham threatened Rayudu made sure it paid off 250 was a really good score on World Cup the series high - ies to reach 44, needed only 27 to get New Zealand up to their -- when he opted to bat first that pitch.” lighted the gulf between sec- more for his remaining 46 runs Kane Williamson described as “a target when he whacked 44 off instead of playing to India’s India went into the match ond-ranked India and third- in an innings that included eight step in the right direction” after 32 deliveries before inexplicably run-chasing strength. with an unbeatable 3-1 lead in ranked New Zealand. fours and four sixes. being comprehensively beaten running himself out. They made a disastrous start the series and looking to atone It did look as if India were He had a life on 60 when in the first three games of the When India fruitlessly ap - and were four for 18 before for their sole loss, an eight-wick- heading for another defeat when dropped by Boult and was even- series. pealed for a leg before decision, Rayudu, with help from Vijay et defeat in the previous match. Matt Henry and Trent Boult tually removed when Henry, “Throughout the series they Neesham stepped out of his Shankar, steered the side to 252 “If the series was on the line ripped out the first four wickets New Zealand’s most successful had us under more pressure than crease in search of a possible and New Zealand in reply were I would have batted second, it’s in under 10 overs. bowler, came back for his sec- we would have liked,” William- leg bye, unaware the ball had all out for 217. our strength to chase but we But when the swing bowlers ond spell. son admitted. been picked up by wicketkeeper “That partnership was cru- wanted to test ourselves, how were taken out of the equation, Hardik Pandya provided late “Trying to soak that up with MS Dhoni who had an easy shot cial,” Sharma said. we bat,” Sharma said. Rayudu and Shankar toyed with fireworks for India with 45 off the ball, in the field, with the bat, at the stumps. “It was not easy after losing “We required guys to show the attack, putting on 98 for the 22 deliveries, while Henry fin- and revert it back on the opposi- The series now moves on to four wickets at the start and then character and they came out and fifth wicket before Shankar was ished with four for 35. tion we were able to do that on three Twenty20 matches begin- to build that partnership and showed a lot of character today.” run out at 45. New Zealand batted through occasions but not often enough.” ning in Wellington on Wednes- get to a decent total, I thought Four months out from the Rayudu, who faced 84 deliver- to the 45th over, which captain Like India, New Zealand’s top day. Rashford strike lifts surging Man Utd into fifth Khawaja smacks century as Sri AFP | Leicester, United Kingdom Lanka chase massive total AFP | Canberra, Australia le Gunnar Solskjaer remains Ounbeaten 10 games into his sman Khawaja final - caretaker reign of Manchester Uly found form again to United as the rejuvenated Mar- KNOW WHAT stroke a fine century yester- cus Rashford and Paul Pogba day and steer Australia into a combined to earn a 1-0 win at massive lead over Sri Lanka as Leicester yesterday to close in the tourists battle to stay in the on the Premier League top four. Solskjaer again chose second Test at Canberra. Rashford blasted home his to leave Romelu Luka- At stumps, the visitors were sixth goal since Solskjaer took ku on the substitutes’ 17 without loss, chasing a huge charge after taking an exquisite bench, with Rashford 516 to win with two days re- touch to control Pogba’s loft- preferred as his cen- maining after Tim Paine de- ed pass and United held out to tral forward clared Australia’s second in- move above Arsenal into fifth nings at 196 for three. and within two points of fourth- after the hour mark. Dimuth Karunaratne and placed Chelsea. Jonny Evans and Harry Lahiru Thirimanne were both A 2-2 draw at home to Burnley Maguire also failed to hit the unbeaten on eight, weather- in midweek is the only match target as the Foxes laid seige to- ing some 30 minutes before Solskjaer has failed to win and wards the United goal in search bad light stopped play slightly much of that form is owed to the of an equaliser that never came early. Australia’s Usman Khawaja plays a Marcus Rashford of Manchester United shoots past Jamie Vardy of Leicester turnaround in both Rashford to pile more pressure on the Sri Lanka had resumed the shot City and Pogba’s roles since Mour- under-fire Puel. third day at 123 for three and in “Obviously getting a hun- inho was sacked in December touch with a beautiful pass that know what you’re doing” from His stock at Leicester remains a hostile morning session lost dred and setting up another with United 11 points adrift of was lofted over the Leicester his own fans for replacing James on the slide but Solskjaer’s at four wickets and Kusal Perera, game that we can hopefully the top four. backline for Rashford to run Maddison with the Algerian just Old Trafford continues to soar. who retired after being hit on win, that’s the ultimate feeling Solskjaer again chose to leave onto and he did the rest, taking the head by a bouncer. for the team and for myself,” Romelu Lukaku on the substi- a touch before drilling a low English Premier League Their resistance folded in said Khawaja, who admitted it tutes’ bench, with Rashford pre- shot past a helpless Kasper the second over after lunch, had been a tough few months ferred as his central forward. Schmeichel. Leicester City 0 1 Manchester United with Mitchell Starc taking five on and off the field. The England striker took just However, as is often the case Manchester City 2 1 Arsenal wickets to leave them trailing His brother was charged in nine minutes to respond with on the road, United relied on by 319 after Australia’s first December with trying to in- the crucial goal, having already goalkeeper David de Gea for all Italian Serie A innings 534 for five declared. fluence a witness over a case missed a good chance when he three points as a Leicester side Paine opted against the fol- where he allegedly framed a headed over when unmarked that have often troubled the top SPAL 0 0 Torino low-on in Australia’s last Test love rival with a fake terror from a handy cross by Nemanja six this season improved after Genoa 1 1 Sassuolo batting opportunity before the plot. Matic. half-time. Ashes tour to England later “It made it tougher to try Udinese 1 1 Fiorentina Rashford’s confidence was Twice the Spaniard stood this year. and concentrate and go out clearly unaffected, as he took tall to deny Jamie Vardy, but Inter Milan 0 0 Bologna Khawaja padded up know- and execute my skills,” he said, just four minutes to respond in De Gea’s best save came from ing his place in that squad adding that it had been “very style.