Read the article of India vs New Zealand 15th Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1986 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 15th ODI match played between New Zealand and India at North Tasmania Cricket Association Ground, Launceston in 02nd February 1986.
Ashok Malhotra, Chetan Sharma, Roger Binny and Kapil Dev guided India cruising to via fastest-run-rate against New Zealand and India reach the finals as New Zealand luck runs out in the 15th match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
India scored 202-9 in 48 overs with top scorer by Ashok Malhotra struck 39 off 72-balls including 4-fours & a six.
Chetan Sharma cracked a unbeaten 38 off 37-balls including 3-fours & a six, Roger Binny scored 24 off 25-balls included 3-fours.
Mohinder Amarnath scored 24 off 50-balls including 3-fours, Ravi Shastri hit 23 off 46-balls included 4-fours and Kris Srikkanth 22.
New Zealand best bowler by Stu Gillespie picked up 3-wickets, Richard Hadlee took 2-wickets for 17-runs in 10-overs including five maidens with economy rate of 1.70, Martin Snedden took 2-wickets and one for Martin Crowe - Ewen Chatfield.
New Zealand scored 168-9 in 45 overs with top scorer by Jeremy Coney hit 37 off 61-balls including a boundary.
John Reid scored 37 off 63-balls including 2-fours, Bruce Edgar hit 26 off 54-balld included 3-fours, Bruce Blair 19 and Stu Gillespie 15 not out.
This match reported by Greg Growden (Third Party Reference from SMH)
An over-worked public-address announcer provided an apt summary of New Zealand's demise in the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup one-day cricket competition at the NTCA ground.
In between requests for the premier, Mr Gray, to report to the committee room, and lost children calls, the excitable announcer said to a hushed crowd that a book called When the Luck Runs Out had been handed in.
The owner of the book might not have been discovered but it could easily have been handed across to the New Zealand camp. The title typified a day where, through poor fortune and missed opportunities, they were bundled out of the competition by India.
The Indians had scored 9-202 in 48 overs after New Zealand had failed to bowl their 50 overs before the scheduled break in innings.
Occasional showers then forced the New Zealand innings to be restricted to 45 overs. After run-rate calculations were made New Zealand had to score 190 for victory, but finished 21 short of the target.
The luck definitely did run out for NZ captain Jeremy Coney. He first had to suffer the pain of a severe migraine which left him bed-ridden instead of fielding in the Indian innings. Then in a final desperate bid, Coney despite double vision and numbness in the fingers, nose and lips while at the wicket tried in vain to push NZ back into the game with some relentless hitting.
India qualified to play Australia in the best-of-three finals series which starts at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday. Even though Coney, 37, finished equal top-scorer for NZ with John Reid, the best performers were easily the Indian bowlers.
Yet it was not solely their ability with the white ball that won the game for India; it was as much their remarkable staying power with the willow. Chetan Sharma, an enthusiastic medium fast first-change bowler, again showed that, given the opportunity, he can bat with high distinction.
Sharma, batting with another respected medium-fast bowler, Roger Binny, saved India from an extremely poor score.
After coming to the crease when India were floundering at 7-127, they added 53 runs for the eighth wicket, enabling India to pass 200 and give New Zealand a far more difficult task. Then Sharma took the vital wicket of Richard Hadlee, and Binny an incredible caught-and -bowled chance to dismiss NZ's most dangerous batsman, Martin Crowe, to virtually give India the game.
For his great all-round effort Sharma was named Man-of-the-Match, with Binny a close second.
Coney believes India could go one further and win the final. "I don't think they have reached their peak yet," he said. "Australia are bowling well at the moment, but India will be strong in Melbourne and they have beaten Australia twice."
As for his own illness, Coney said he received bad migraines two or three times a year, and the headache hit him early yesterday morning.
"It is a weird sensation. I couldn't feel my lips, nose or the tops of my fingers, plus I had double vision," he said.
"There is not much you can do about it but go and lie down for a hour or two and hope it goes away." While Coney was recuperating, the New Zealand 12th man John Wright took over the captaincy during the Indian innings.
Wright, a capable early order batsman, was a surprise omission from the side because of his poor recent form against India, even though he had scored 61 against Australia in Adelaide last week. Wright's experience and wide range of strokes would have been invaluable during the final pressure-loaded hours.
At least the New Zealanders were not forced to pay the expected $1,800 fine for not bowling 50 overs in their allotted time. Match referee, Mr Bob Ingamells, after discussing the matter with the umpires, Steve Randell and Tony Crafter, ruled there "was no justification" in fining New Zealand.
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