Watch the highlights of India vs New Zealand 8th Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1980/81 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 8th ODI match played between New Zealand and India at Adelaide Oval in 23rd December 1980.
Yashpal Sharma's maiden half-century, Chetan Chauhan's supporting 43, Syed Kirmani's superb unbeaten 37 before All-rounder Kapil Dev's took two wickets in the last over of the match as India narrow 6-run victory over New Zealand in the eight match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
INDIA scored 230/7 (50 Overs) with top scorer by Yashpal Sharma 72 (105) and Chetan Chauhan 43 (92)
New Zealand best bowler by Martin Snedden 3/30 (10) and Gary Troup 3/65 (10)
NEW ZEALAND scored 224 for all-out (49.3 Overs) with top scorer by Jeremy Coney 49 (63) and Mark Burgess 42 (50)
India best bowler by Dilip Doshi 2/34 (10) and Kapil Dev 2/34 (9.3)
This match reported by Dicky Rutnagur (Third Party Reference from The Age)
For the third time in as many meetings between India and New Zealand in the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup competition, the issue was dragged into the last over.
India, which had put up its highest total of the series, 230, won by just six runs. The last New Zealand wicket fell half-way through the final over.
If India had any one man to thank for victory in this fascinating match of recovery and counter-recovery, it was Yashpal Sharma, who started on a dour note, but then let fly with some stunning legside blows to score 72, with three fours and four sixes.
Indeed. India's respectable total belied its early tribulations. Sunil Gavaskar tantalised with two classic shots but at 23 sliced a drive off Gary Troup. Then Vengsarkar once more proved a ready victim.
Chetan Chauhan. who again came to the rescue with 43. and Yashpal, checked the collapse but, for a long while, scored too slowly for India's comfort. At the half-way mark, the total was a mere 65-2.
This pair had just lifted the scoring rate to above three an over when India hit another depression, Chauhan and Sundeep Patti driving low catches to extra cover. India was now 102-4 and its destiny was again in the hands of Kapil Dev.
Howarth immediately recalled Richard Hadlee to keep Kapil in check. The move was of no avail, for Kapil promptly on-drove him for three fours and took two more off Chatfield.
New Zealand was losing Its grip when Martin Snedden ended the menace of Kapil. cutting one back to flick the off ball as Kapil aimed a blow at cover point.
The New Zealand innings took a very light course. John Wright. and John Parker, who opened, went for 36, but Howarth, seeming none-the-worse for either his injury or the long break that it had imposed, and Jeremy Coney, scored at will.
This third wicket pair, which put on 69 from 20 overs, did every bit of justice to a good pitch and the timing of Coney's drives was captivattng.
Dilip Doshi broke the stand in the nick of time beating Howarth in the air and having him stumped. The pendulum of fortune swung again and in the next eight over, New Zealand had slumped to 134-6 leaving it 15 ½ overs to get 65 runs.
But once Doshi's overs were exhausted the New Zealanders chanced their arm. Mark Burgess, affilicted in the same manner as Kirmani and using a runner, played with grit and imagination while Cairns put his brawn to useful purpose.
With 18 wanted. Cairns failed to connect with a flick to leg and was bowled. From the very next ball, Burgess was run out and it was up to the tailenders now to scrape up the last 13 runs from an attack which had lost its nerve.
The gap had narrowed to nine when Troup, slashing at the last ball off the penultimate over, edged to Doshi, at backward point. Doshi muffed the overhead chance and moreover, conceded two runs. It will be recalled that it was a similar lapse on his part that had reprieved New Zealand, at Brisbane, only 48 hours before.
However, the ending this time was different. Snedden, pulling at the first ball of the last over was safely caught at mid wicket by Ghavri. Troup took a swing at the next, from Kapil, and missed. He took another heave at the third ball and missed again, but this time the ball was straight and shattered the stumps.
Yashpal Sharma named Player of the match for his brilliant batting performance to scored a career-best 72-runs knocked off facing 105-balls including 4-sixes and 3-fours.
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