12 Mar 2009

Sehwag smashes Black Caps

5:45 am on 12 March 2009

Virender Sehwag smashed an unbeaten 125 as the Indian cricketers beat New Zealand by 10 wickets in a rain-affected 4th ODI match in Hamilton to win the series 3-nil with one game left.

Brendon McCullum top scored with 77 as New Zealand made 270 for 5 off 47 overs.

But Sehwag compiled the fastest one-day ton by an Indian, in 60 balls, to lift the tourists to 201 without loss when rain stopped play for a fifth and final time.

Sehwag hit six sixes and 14 fours, with Gautum Ghambir 63 before Duckworth-Lewis came into play after 23.3 overs.

India were always ahead of the par score according to Duckworth-Lewis with Gambhir, and Sehwag in particular, blasting a woeful Black Caps attack to all corners of Seddon Park.

Iain O'Brien, brought in to replace Tim Southee, conceded 12 runs an over while Jacob Oram and Ewen Thompson were also expensive at 10 runs an over.

Even captain Daniel Vettori did not escape as Sehwag brought up his century with a massive six straight down the ground.

Vettori says they got a good old-fashioned hiding.

The fifth match is in Auckland on Saturday.