McMillan and Cairns make India pay for missed chances

The defeat extended India's awful record of having won only one test abroad since 1986. Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, bemoaning a series of dropped catches that cost the match, called for a radical change before the third Test starts in Hamilton on Saturday.

After McMillan (74 not out) and Cairns (61) steadied New Zealand's second innings, the home side easily reached 215 for six to win the match by four wickets. India had scored 208 and 356 to set the target of 213.

New Zealand now lead the series 1-0 ahead of the final match fter the first Test was abandoned because of bad weather.

The Kiwis resumed the final day struggling on 73-4 and suffered an early blow when nightwatchman Paul Wiseman was out leg before with only two runs added.

But McMillan and Cairns aggressively took on the Indian bowling. Paceman Javagal Srinath and legspinner Anil Kumble were unable to halt the runs and the test was virtually won when New Zealand went to lunch at 188 for five.

Cairns popped a catch to Ajay Jadeja when New Zealand were two runs shy of their target. But he was still cheered from the ground. And after helping set up victory with both bat and ball, Dion Nash had the honour of hitting the winning runs.

Nash, who scored a best ever 89 in the first innings and took 3-20 in India's second innings, hit his first ball to the backward square leg boundary to chalk up New Zealand's fifth win in succession on home soil.

Cairns was relieved to contribute after failing to take a wicket in either innings and scored a second ball duck in New Zealand's first innings of 352.

``I was actually genuinely nervous last night for the first time in a long while and in the end it was good to have to play with some real pressure on and play a bit tighter than normal,'' he said.

Stephen Fleming said his 39th test as a player and his 14th as New Zealand's captain had been the most exhausting of his career. ``It is the most mentally demanding test match I've been involved in,'' he said. ``It was stressful all the way through and you would go home every night mentally knackered,'' he added.

Both captains agreed that New Zealand's superior fielding had been decisive, as well as the Macmillan-Cairns partnership.

The Indians dropped four catches in the first innings and their fielding close to the wicket was poor.

``Fielding has never been a strong point for us. I have no answer to why that is. It has to come from within because batting and bowling is not enough,'' Azharuddin said. ``We've got to sit down and try and come out with something better for the third test.''

Azharuddin said India's bowling and fielding was not up to scratch on the final day. McMillan and Cairns were never put under any pressure and they were able to push the ball into gaps.

Srinath was the biggest culprit among the bowlers despite finishing with 3-82 from 19.3 overs.

He was picked off at ease on the leg side and contributed to his problems by being noballed eight times.

Kumble was never allowed to dominate and his figures ballooned out to 2-70 off 23 overs.

``The two batsmen played very well and we weren't good enough, we gave away too many easy runs,'' Azharuddin said. ``I thought the target of 213 would be a difficult one but we didn't bowl well enough today to give ourselves a chance.''