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The third and final cricket test between the BLACKCAPS and India has ended in a weather-affected draw at the Basin Reserve, preventing the tourists from securing a 2-0 series win.
India required only two wickets when rain swept the ground shortly after lunch when New Zealand were on the brink of defeat on 281 for eight, chasing 617 for victory.
Captain Daniel Vettori was on 15 and Iain O'Brien 19, prolonging the inevitable when forecast showers came to the rescue at 2.08pm.
An prospect of play was finally abandoned at 4.31pm. There were 57.3 overs to be bowled before the scheduled close of play.
India won the series 1-0, their first test series success in New Zealand in seven attempts since they first toured here in 1968.
India also won the five-match one-day series 3-1 while New Zealand won the tour-opening Twenty20 contests 2-0.
New Zealand resumed on 167 for four today and lost Ross Taylor for 107, James Franklin for 49 and Brendon McCullum for six before lunch.
Tim Southee then departed for three in the 6.3 overs bowled after lunch before the weather closed in.
Offspinner Harbhajan Singh took four for 59 from 33 overs while part-time spinner Sachin Tendulkar took two for 45 from nine.
Gautam Gambhir, who scored 167 in India's second innings, was named man of the match.
NZPA
Day four: BLACKCAPS 167-4 v India, 450 short of victory at stumps on day four
The BLACKCAPS were 167 for four in their second innings at stumps of the fourth day of the third cricket test against India when bad light curtailed play at the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand require 450 runs to level the series after being set a massive 617 while India need six wickets to complete a 2-0 victory -- and their first test series win here since 1968.
Bad light made play impossible with 21 overs still scheduled to be bowled.
Ross Taylor was unbeaten on 69 and James Franklin was on 26, the pair having added 83 for the fifth wicket.
Harbhajan Singh, two for 36, and Zaheer Khan, two for 50, were the leading bowlers.
India declared their second innings on 434 for seven early in the morning session. Opener Gautam Gambhir top scored with 167 yesterday.
NZPA
Day four: India 349-5 at stumps, lead BLACKCAPS by 531 runs
India were 349 for five in the second innings when bad light forced an early end to the third day of the third and final cricket test against the BLACKCAPS at the Basin Reserve.
Stumps were drawn 8.1 overs before the scheduled close with India leading by 531 runs.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was not out 16 and Yuvraj Singh was on 15.
Opener Gautam Gambhir topscored with 167, his sixth test century.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori took two for 2-88 and seamer Iain O'Brien two for 77.
New Zealand conceded an initial 182-run deficit yesterday after being dismissed for 197 in reply to India's first innings of 379.
India have an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the series after winning the first test in Hamilton by 10 wickets before the second test in Napier was drawn.
NZPA
Day two: India 51-1 at stumps, lead BLACKCAPS by 233 runs
India were 51 for one in their second innings at stumps on the second day of the third cricket test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve here today, holding an overall lead of 233.
Gautam Gambhir was on 28 and Rahul Dravid was on nine at the close.
Earlier, New Zealand were dismissed for 197 in reply to India's first innings of 379.
Ross Taylor topscored with 42 while Zaheer Khan took five for 65, the seventh five-wicket bag of his 65-test career.
NZPA
Day one: India 375-9 at stumps on day one v BLACKCAPS
India were 375 for nine at stumps on the first day of the third cricket test against the BLACKCAPS at the Basin Reserve here today.
Tailender Ishant Sharma, on 15, and Munaf Patel, 14, resume their 28-run stand for the last wicket tomorrow.
Sachin Tendulkar top scored with 62 -- his 53rd test half century -- while Harbhajan Singh contributed 60 batting at No 8.
Chris Martin was the most successful bowler with three for 95 from 24 overs.
NZPA
