HAMILTON: An unbeaten century from veteran batsman Ross Taylor controlled New Zealand to a dazzling win India in the first one-day International.
The hosts finished the second highest run pursue in their history to complete on 348 for four and chase the big target set by India at Seddon Park.
It was a confidence-boosting victory for the Black Caps, who went into the match as dark horses after a 5-0 whitewash in the ongoing Twenty20 International series, when they over and again wasted winning chances.
The tables turned at Seddon Park, with India posting a mammoth aggregate of 347 for four in the wake of losing the coin toss, including a maiden century to Shreyas Iyer and half centuries for captain Virat Kohli and K.L. Rahul.
In any case, the visitors’ bowling assault neglected to forestall a match-diverting innings from Taylor, who scored a 73-ball century, his 21st in ODIs, and finished the match on 109 not out.
“I think it’s been an interesting summer and it was good to get across the line,” man-of-the-match Taylor said. “Different format, different series and I think there were a lot of contributions throughout the top order and even with the ball. To restrict them to under 350 gave us a chance.”
Taylor was upheld by a speedy 69 from the stand-in skipper Tom Latham during their 138-run stand for the fourth wicket and Henry Nicholls’ hard-battled 78, albeit three late wickets gave India any expectation of saving the day.
New Zealand at long last found a triumphant formula in their preferred format, mounting a well-paced pursue for their second highest winning total at a home ground.